YEREVAN. – Teachers working at various schools in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan have assembled Tuesday outside the Government Building No. 3, which also houses the Ministry of Education and Science (PHOTOS).  

The teachers demand that Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan withdraw his decision of making 5 percent mandatory pension deductions from the salaries of the employees of Armenia’s education sector.

“We receive low salaries as it is, and they want to deduct money from them, too; [this] is just a shame,” a teacher by the name of Ofelya Harutyunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.    

In her words, if the matter they have raised is not resolved, the teachers are ready to go on strike.

Members from the “Dem.Am [I am against]” civic initiative, which opposes the mandatory component of the new funded pension law in Armenia, also have joined the protesting teachers. They stated that they will support all those who have the courage to take to the streets and fight for their rights.

There are a large number of police officers in the area, and they have formed a human wall outside the Government Building No. 3, the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed.