Teachers across Algeria go on strike to protest low salaries and poor conditions

Teachers throughout Algeria have gone on strike to protest low salaries and deteriorating working conditions. The two-day strike follows demonstrations staged by students last month in an unusual outpouring of protest. The action by teachers and students comes at a time when public criticism of the government is becoming rarer. Teachers say the strike is significant amid a gradual shrinking of rights, including for women, the press and opposition parties. Gas-rich Algeria has long taken pride in its free education system and the opportunities it affords students and teachers. But teachers say they’re underpaid and educated young people are increasingly trying to emigrate out of the country in search of opportunities.