The Teachers' Syndicate held elections for its national board on Wednesday for the first time in 11 years, with only a few irregularities so far reported.
Observers reported a high voter turnout from among the 1.2 million teachers from primary, preparatory and secondary schools who belong to the organization, which is Egypt's largest professional syndicate.
Among the problems faced by the polls on Wednesday were clashes between teachers from the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and others loyal to the now-dissolved ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP held a tight grip on the Teachers' Syndicate over the past few decades, often disqualifying unwelcome candidates in board elections so as to maintain their influence.
Some polls were cancelled on Wednesday by court order, including elections in Qaliubiya, four polls in Port Said, one in Damietta and one in Cairo, out of a total of 1500 polls nationwide. Also, 74 candidates in Alexandria were disqualified.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
