Yemens Teachers Face Financial Crisis Due to Salary Cuts

Yemeni Teachers Face Financial Strains Amid Ongoing Protests

Teachers in Yemen are taking on multiple jobs and enduring hunger due to delayed and meager salaries. Mohammed Salem, a 31-year-experienced teacher, works at three different establishments: a government-run school, a private school, and a hotel.

Salem’s daily routine begins with his job at the government-run school, followed by a shift at the private school, and then work at the hotel for the remainder of the day. He has been forced to take on additional jobs due to Yemen’s economic situation, which has seen the value of the local currency, the riyal, decline against the US dollar.

Salem earns less than half of what he made a decade ago, with his monthly salary decreasing from approximately $320 to $130. Despite working long hours, Salem says he is “completely burned out” and has no time to care for his students during classes.

The economic crisis in Yemen has had a devastating impact on the education sector, with thousands of teachers voicing frustration over stagnant and delayed pay. When paid, salaries are often late, and their value has decreased significantly due to inflation.

To cope with the financial strain, Salem’s family has adopted harsh survival strategies, including skipping meals, cutting out protein-rich foods, and moving to cheaper housing. They have also had to make difficult decisions, such as having one child forgo university to join the military, where soldiers earn about $265 per month.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that Yemen’s education sector continues to face a catastrophic crisis, with an estimated 6.6 million school-aged children affected.

Source: Al Jazeera