Jordan´s powerful Islamists and their allies won a landslide victory
in leadership elections for the country´s first teachers´ union,
results showed on Saturday.
Independent Mustafa Rawashdeh was elected president with 259 of the
283 votes cast, but the Islamist "Unionist Teacher" bloc won all the
remaining 14 council seats.
"These were historic elections that have taken place in a democratic
atmosphere," Rawashdeh told AFP.
"Now, we will focus on work to help enhance education in the country
and improve the conditions of teachers."
There are around 120,000 teachers in Jordan, providing education to
1.6 million children in 5,000 state and private schools.
Last year, parliament passed a law allowing the formation of the
country´s first teachers´ union, following several street protests
led by Rawashdeh.
