Libyan teachers launch nationwide strike, halting the new school year

On the day schools were scheduled to reopen, teachers in Tripoli began sit-ins outside schools and government offices, demanding better pay and working conditions. Two weeks later the teachers union escalated the action into a nationwide, open-ended strike that now affects public schools across Libya, including in Benghazi. Union heads Mustafa Al-Bahilil and Mohammed Al-Jahawi argue that salaries are too low, facilities such as computer labs and desks are inadequate, and rising living costs make it impossible for many teachers to meet basic needs.

Some educators, like Hamza al-Firjani, are forced to work additional jobs, while parents such as Salah Awad fear the prolonged shutdown will damage students' education. The Ministry of Education has not provided a comment, leaving the strike's duration uncertain.