Teachers across Essex and the rest of the east of England are striking today in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The National Education Union (NEU) voted at the end of January to take industrial action on seven days across February and March.

NEU affiliated teachers took action in the first strikes on February 1 and have walked out in the region's second today.

A total of 18 south Essex schools confirmed, either through the county council website or in letters to parents, they have closed to some year groups today as teachers downed tools.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, told the PA news agency: “I think across the three days we will have 200,000 members taking strike action.”

The country’s largest education union has had 50,000 new sign-ups since the strikes were announced six weeks ago, he added.

In a message to parents, Mr Courtney said: “We really do sincerely apologise for the disruption to their children’s education on our strike days, and to the disruption to their working lives and home lives.

“But we do believe we’re taking action with a moral purpose of trying to get the Government to invest in their children’s education.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has called strike action “unforgivable”, adding that children deserve to be in class, especially after the pandemic.

But we want to know what you think. Take part in our poll below and let us know; do you support the teacher strikes?

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