Maputo — Over a hundred adult education and literacy workers, in the central Mozambican city of Beira, on Wednesday went on strike in protest at the non-payment of overtime allowances that the government has allegedly owed them for the past three years.

According to the literacy workers, who demonstrated in front of Education Ministry provincial offices, the government owes each of them about 100,000 meticais (about 1,500 US dollars at the current exchange rate), according to the independent daily "O País.'

They have also threatened not to collaborate with the authorities unless money is deposited in their bank accounts.

This strike is taking place at a moment when the teachers in schools across the country have been boycotting the final exams in primary and secondary schools in protest at the alleged non-payment of the money that the government owes them for overtime work.

The teachers in the Mozambican National Education System have been demanding good working conditions. They also have been threatening not to work with classes of over 100 pupils, since overcrowding has been harming the quality of education.