The demonstrators are also concerned over proposed changes to the school curriculum, including the inclusion of "patriotic values" espoused by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.
News Desk
Teachers from all over Poland were amongst thousands protesting in Warsaw on Saturday against education reforms proposed by the right-wing government that critics say could see thousands of jobs slashed.
"I call upon Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and the government not to destroy the assets" of the current education system, said Slawomir Broniarz, head of the main teachers' union.
Whistle-blowing demonstrators cheered Broniarz at Warsaw's central Pilsudski Square. They shouted slogans such as "No to chaos in schools", "Stop education reforms", and "No to revolution in schools".
The reforms envisage changing the three-tier school system to just two levels, which means that many high schools will be closed.
Critics say the proposal was drafted in haste and has many flaws.
The PiS government has attracted controversy on several issues including tightening the abortion law and changes to Poland's constitutional court's decision-making rules, which sparked a crisis.
The latter reforms have alarmed the European Union and triggered a string of street protests, with the opposition claiming the changes are intended to paralyse the court and undermine democracy.
AFP
