Most Government schools in Nuku‘alofa remained closed today while striking teachers took part in another march, in spite of a warning from Cabinet that they were now absent without leave.

The Director of Education, Viliami Takau, said today that Government school teachers who did not return to school this morning at 8:30 a.m., "showed great disrespect to the decision by Government for schools to commence Term 3 today."

He added that teachers who disobeyed government would be dealt with under the Public Service Act.

The Ministry of Education declared the first two weeks of the strike to be a holiday, after moving the August school holidays forward, when the strike started on July 22, and they had been optimistic of finding solution to the grievances the teachers

On August 5 the Minister of Education and his Director offered a new salary structure to all teachers, with an average salary rise of 70% with the hope that government teachers would be back for the beginning of the third term today.

Disappointed

But Viliami said that by 9 a.m. this morning it was obvious that government schools in the Nuku'alofa area, such as the Government Primary schools, Tonga High School, Tonga Institute of Education and the Tonga National Form 7 would not be fully opened for classes. A majority of teachers and students were participating in another protest march from the Basilica to Pangai Si‘i, in support of the strike.

The march was led by Vili Vete, a Senior Education officer, and ...‘Ativeniana Pomana, the Principal of Nuku...’alofa Primary school, and supported by around 600 students, teachers and parents, who marched with a message that they would not return to school until justice prevailed upon every one of them.

Vili Vete told the crowd as they gathered at Pangai Si‘i that they would stand firm together until their recommendations of 60,70 and 80% salary rise was accepted and until then no one was to return back to work.

He then apologized to all parents for the damage that had been caused by the closure of schools, "but I declare to you that now we are not just crying against the disparities of the salary rise but we are also crying for the law and justice of this country to be applied now".

Fotu Fisi‘iahi, the Spokesperson for the Public Servants Association responded by telling marchers that their presence today showed their unity and solidarity forever, no matter what lay ahead.

He told the crowd that their courage had made the outer islands of Vava‘u, Ha‘apai, ‘Eua and the two Niuas stand firm because they had been informed that Government schools were not open there as well.

Fotu also told students from Forms 5, 6 and 7 to rest assured because they had submitted a letter to the South Pacific Board of Education in Fiji requesting them to recognize the current situation in Tonga and to allow more time for all internal assessments to be completed. They are waiting for a response from the board.