Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 10, 2007 Tevet 1, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:14 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 18:27 10/12/2007 Bar-On: Chances for agreement over education reform are diminishing By Or Kashti and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service Tags: strikes, Olmert  Finance Minister Roni Bar-On said Monday that chances for an agreement over an extensive reform of the education system are diminishing because of the lack of progress in negotiations between government officials and representatives of the Secondary School Teachers Association. Bar-On, who made the statement during his speech at the Israel Business Conference in Tel Aviv, said that the government is planning to invest funds in increasing the number of classrooms and additional school hours, but that "it is not up to the teachers' organization to decide what to invest in first." Striking secondary school teachers, vowing to defy court injunctions to force them to return to classrooms later this week, disrupted a speech by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the Israel Business Conference in Tel Aviv. Advertisement Last week, the National Labor Court issued an injunction calling on the striking teachers to resume their jobs once the Hanukkah break is over. The court's ruling is meant to bring to an end the teachers' strike, which began nearly two months ago. At issue are demands over wages, reducing the numbers of students per class, and restoring teaching hours slashed by past budget cuts. "We will not give in to the court's injunction," the teachers called during the speech, while hundreds more demonstrated outside the conference venue, the seaside the David Intercontinental Hotel. The prime minister mentioned the government's increase in the education budget, but admitted that the current education crisis is "difficult," following years of budgetary cuts. Olmert said while the teachers were right in their demand for better working conditions, "the government is right in demanding reforms in the education system." "There is no escaping the damage of the last 15 years," Olmert said, adding: "The Israel teachers union has succeeded in raising a most tender subject in Israeli society." The prime minister called on teachers to resume discussions, saying: "The children want to go back to school." Related articles: Olmert says gov't has no desire to 'defeat' striking teachers Court defers decision on back-to-work orders for striking teachers A government that defeats its teachers Bookmark to del.icio.us Bigotry prevails Haaretz.com TV: A new study shows a rise in racism against Israel's Arabs. High and dry Hamas seizes hundreds of pounds of marijuana in Gaza - and burns it in public.   1.   Teacher`s Strike 18:49  |  Dr. David Feigenbaum 10/12/07   2.   Olmert and the "Jewish kop".... 19:07  |  Esther 10/12/07

Today Online Burston: Hamas - If we can kill them, we can talk to them Responses: 52 Russia said trying to lure Russian olim back home Responses: 123 Akiva Eldar: Building in E. J'lem undermines spirit of Annapolis Responses: 75 Religious party leader: Same-sex families undermine Judaism Responses: 52 Military censor: IDF revealed classified data during war Responses: 8 Rosner's Domain Jervis & Cohen discuss the flaws of the Iran NIE The CIA's brain drain (WTR) Poll: Who's your Democratic favorite for 2008? Rosner's Mailbox: military option still ON the table More Headlines 18:55 IDF Censor: Army revealed classified date during war 18:28 Egypt uncovers 500 kilograms of explosives in northern Sinai 19:04 Olmert vows to 'forge historic path' toward peace with Palestinians 17:34 Palestinian PM hopes for $5.6B from donors for economic surge 19:10 Heirs of Holocaust victims could claim up to NIS 200M in assets 18:27 Bar-On: Chances for agreement over education reform are diminishing 16:45 EU: Dual-track approach is the only way to solve Iran nuclear crisis 14:59 Saudis welcome Meshal in bid to broker new Hamas-Fatah talks 18:50 Palestinians make 3 feature films despite lack of audience, funding Previous Editions Select Day 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 30 nov 29 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov

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