Open Strike at Salah al-Din Public School in Rahat

SadaNews - The Parents' Committee at Salah al-Din School in Rahat, located in the Negev region of southern Israel, continues its open strike that began yesterday, Monday, in protest against the deteriorating state of the school building and the crumbling walls and ceilings.

The committee's statement read: "Our patience has run out. We will not send our children to a school that poses a danger to their lives. The Rahat Municipality and the Ministry of Education bear full responsibility for the loss of school days due to ignoring professional reports that warned of the dangerous situation."

The committee affirmed that "the return to school is conditional on the immediate and effective implementation of all safety and security demands," stressing that this time it would not accept any verbal promises.

The statement from Khaled al-Talaka, the head of the Central Parents' Committee in Rahat, issued last Saturday, noted: "We have reached a point where we can no longer remain silent about the disastrous situation that our children are experiencing at Salah al-Din School. Essential repair work has still not been carried out, despite official reports confirming the seriousness of the conditions regarding the safety and health of students and the teaching staff, in addition to extreme overcrowding and a severe shortage of classrooms. This reality poses a direct threat to our children's future and their right to a safe and dignified education."

He added, "Unfortunately, the responsible parties at the Rahat Municipality continue to demonstrate their administrative incompetence and weakness in providing services. We are tired of the visual statements and videos released by some parties seeking media fame, without addressing the real problems. Our children are not material for media marketing, and their safety is not a game to pretend to work without real results."

The statement confirmed that "if all demands are not met immediately, the Parents' Committee will take escalatory steps, including suspending classes in the coming days of the second semester, as a final responsibility cry to protect our children and their rights."

The committee concluded its statement by saying, "We hold the Rahat Municipality, in all its departments, fully responsible for any health, security, or educational harm that may befall the students as a result of continued neglect. We call on the official authorities to take urgent action to address all the risks and provide clear certifications regarding safety and health."

Source: Arabs 48