Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The government on Saturday urged the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) to sit for dialogue as the only means to address the teachers' demand and end a nationwide teacher strike, now in its third week.

State Minister for Media Affairs Jumana Ghuneimat said on Saturday the government came forward with a "generous proposal opening the door for dialogue over whatever the JTA wants to discuss."

Speaking following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz to follow up on the JTA's strike, Ghuneimat said the proposal presented to the syndicate on Thursday is designed to improve the teachers' living conditions and upgrade the overall educational process.

In response to a question about the government's initiative, the minister said "the proposal is not vague, but provided an ample avenue for the teachers' syndicate to engage in dialogue on many issues of interest to the teacher."

Ghuneimat reiterated that the "government is open to dialogue and that its channels are still open as the only way to reach an agreement on the JTA's demands", pointing that the government is committed to improving the living and financial conditions of teachers and developing the educational process.

"What is more important now is to end the strike and allow the students to return to their schools. The government is open to dialogue and to sit down with the teachers' syndicate to discuss various details, leading to a healthy relationship between the government and the syndicate," she said.

The minister emphasized that the government proposal is still on the table, adding that the government is under pressure by parents who want an end to the strike to allow their children to return to schools until all issues are resolved.

Ghuneimat explained that the government's proposal calls for the formation of a joint team from the government and the JTA as a key partner in the process to formulate a "vision towards a new model that serves the goals of improving the living conditions of the teacher and developing the educational process."

During today's meeting, the prime minister was briefed by the directors of the education directorates on the latest developments on the ground and the complaints lodged by parents and students over the harm the strike causes to their right to education.

The meeting looked into steps many teachers will take to resume education at schools and stop the detrimental effect of the strike on the educational process.

The prime minister ordered the educational directors to continue to follow up on developments at schools and focus on facilitating the students' access to schools as the mainstay of the whole educational process.