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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Thousands of public school teachers throughout the kingdom went on strike for the second day, demanding forming a teachers' syndicate and improving their wages.

The strike widened on Monday as more teachers from different kingdom governorates joined the teachers who went on strike on Sunday in 8 governorates, including Amman, Tafileh, Jerash, Irbid, Karak, ِAjloun, Balqaa, and Zarqa.

Teachers of several schools in the capital Amman also joined the strike, including schools in Amman's 5th district, Wadi Al Sir, Sweifieh, Abdoun, Dahiyat Rashid, Sports city, and all schools in Muwaqqar, Al Jizeh, and Sahab districts.

Spokesperson of the Amman Teachers' Committee told Ammon News on Monday that the government and parliament are responsible for the deterioration of the education process in the kingdom, despite the government's claims that it supports forming a professional association for teachers.

He stressed however that the strike will not effect Tawjihi (General Secondary School Education Certification Exam) students.

Teachers' strike strategies varied from one district to another, while some teachers protested inside their schools' vicinities, others staged sit-ins in front of District Education Departments in their governorates.

Spokesperson of the Karak's Committee for Reviving a Professional Association for Teachers Muath Btoush told Ammon News on Sunday that teachers in different Karak schools had addressed students in the morning apologizing for halting the education process and going on strike until their demands are met.

Teachers throughout the kingdom have unified their front in calling for four main demands: forming a teachers' professional association with mandatory membership, financial and administrative autonomy, being governed by the judicial authority, and the right of teachers who are members of the association to demand improved wages.

The strike comes as the government and legislative branch is "stalling" in forming a professional association for teachers, several committee spokespersons told Ammon News.

Teachers of nearly 90 percent of males schools in Ajloun went on strike on Sunday, and around 50 percent of girl's schools.

Meanwhile, Ajloun Governorate Education Director Mahmoud Otheibat said that all teachers in the governorate are in attendance, and that the students are attending their classes as usual in schools.

He noted that there is merely a "partial strike in some males schools, whereas the majority of teachers are carrying out the educational process normally."

In Irbid, north of Jordan, Teachers' Committee spokeperson said that 90 percent of Irbid's Second District school teachers are on strike, and 70-90 percent of schools in other districts are also on strike.

In Tafileh, south of Jordan, hundreds of teachers staged a sit-in in front of the Tafileh Education Department calling for forming a teachers' association, and announced forming a Teachers' Committee in Tafileh.

Several employees of education department and school principals also took part in the protest.

Teachers throughout the kingdom had waged widespread protests in March and April 2010 demanding teachers' rights.

The protests escalated following remarks by then Minister of Education Ibrahim Badran that were deemed offensive by many teachers and citizens.

Badran was replaced in a ministerial reshuffle last May, when former Prime Minister Samir Rifai appointed University of Jordan President Khaled Karaki to head the Education Ministry.