Bissau - Teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Guinea-Bissau have started a 10-day strike over pay arrears and better work conditions, a union official told AFP on Wednesday.
The walk-out which started on Tuesday brought work at public schools throughout the country to a standstill, witnesses reached by AFP said.
"We have made many concessions to the government which has turned a deaf ear to our demands," said Vincent Mendes who heads the national teachers' union Sinaprof.
Strikers are asking for the payment four months in salary arrears and bonuses, better working conditions and full-time jobs for some teachers.
Government official Jose Lopes called on the teachers to end their strike - the latest in a string of stoppages that have plagued the west African country's school system for years - while union officials should enter talks with the government to find a settlement.
"The government is providing financing to meet the teachers' demands. But we must be patient because everybody knows the country's situation", in the grips of an economic crisis, he said. - AFP