Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Sunday said the Government was informed on Sunday by the head of the administrative prosecution of an urgent court ruling to halt the teachers strike, now in its fourth week, until a final verdict is issued in the lawsuit filed by a number of parents against the Ministry of Education and the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) demanding their children's right to education to be fulfilled.

Razzaz told a press conference at the Prime Ministry that the right to education is enshrined by the constitution and the law, adding that he ordered the concerned authorities to enforce the Administrative Court's decision, which ordered an immediate halt to the weeks-long teachers' strike.

"Out of respect for the rule of law, we expect everyone, living in a state of law and institutions, to respect the application of the law and adhere to it," the prime minister said, adding that law enforcement "is not a matter of judgment, opinion or point of view, but a law we must all uphold and apply." He emphasized that any controversial issue can be discussed at the dialogue table.

He pointed out that the government took a decision yesterday to increase the teachers' salaries under the current promotion system, indicating that the government found itself obliged to take this decision unilaterally after the JTA failed to offer any proposal on the dialogue table after about 10 meetings between the ministerial and technical team and the representatives of association.

"Over the past weeks, we have been putting forward a point of view and asking for a proposal to a proposal, but we received none. All attempts of the government and those who tried to mediate, including MPs and professional unions and other dignitaries, have failed," the prime minister said.

Razzaz pointed out that he had invited the Vice-President of the JTA to his home and held a meeting for two hours, revealing: "I have repeatedly asked for a specific proposal to the proposal put forward by the government, but did not receive a response and they insisted on the 50-percent pay hike demand only."

The Prime Minister denied that his government or any of the previous governments have pledged to such demand, for several reasons, the most important of which is that the economic situation does not allow it, and this was relayed to the association in 2014.

He added: "There are also different groups in society that we should treat in a way that ensures justice among all. Every Jordanian citizen is eager to see his/her living conditions improve, which are legitimate aspirations, but addressing them cannot be achieved by arm-twisting or imposing numbers. This is not a path to pursue in a state of law and institutions."

The Prime Minister stressed that expression of opinion is a protected right under the constitution and laws, and that the citizen's demand to improve his/her living situation is a right, but that should happen within the legal avenues and in a manner that does not affect the rights of others.

Razzaz said his government does not claim that yesterday's decision to approve the pay hikes to the teachers' salaries met the aspirations, "but this is the possible now", adding: "If the strike is suspended by the JTA, it will be possible to discuss all issues."

He pointed out that differences in any society is a natural phenomenon and perhaps healthy, but it is important "how we invoke our differences to the culture of dialogue and accept the other and the priority of common interest and ultimately resort to the law and the judiciary.