what schools are on strike
Several regions currently have education strikes or strike threats affecting schools and universities, but the exact answer depends heavily on your country and city. Below is a quick, globally oriented scoop based on recent public reports.
Quick Scoop: What schools are on strike right now?
- In Victoria, Australia , public school staff represented by the Australian Education Union are preparing for a statewide strike on 24 March 2026 , which will affect many public schools across the state.
- In California, USA , teacher unions have been organizing strikes for better pay and working conditions , with action focused on large districts such as San Diego , where schools are set to close on the main strike day (for example, around 26 February 2026 in San Diego Unified).
- In Berlin, Germany , there have been warning strikes in daycare centres, schools, and public offices in early February 2026, causing partial closures and service disruptions on selected days.
- In the UK (especially England and Scotland) , many of the recent, high‑profile school and university actions have already taken place, but several institutions are still in disputes:
- Imperial College London staff (UNITE) have had resumed strike action over pay deals in February 2026.
* **Southampton Solent University** , **University of Dundee** , **University of Essex** , and **Edinburgh University** have all had recent or ongoing disputes involving strike dates into early 2026 (mainly affecting university rather than school pupils).
* Teacher unions in Scotland (EIS, SSTA) have run multiple waves of action in recent years and remain in a formal dispute over workload and cuts, even when no strike is scheduled on a specific day.
Important nuance
- On many strike calendars, there may be no education strike on “today’s” date , even though there are ongoing disputes or ballots in the background.
- Some areas use “warning strikes” or short, rotating strikes , meaning only certain days or specific schools are hit, while others remain open.
- Media often reports “teacher strike” at a regional level, but the actual closures can vary school by school, depending on union membership and local agreements.
Mini breakdown by type of institution
Public primary & secondary schools
- Victoria, Australia – public schools are expected to shut or partially close during the planned state‑wide strike day in late March 2026.
- California (e.g., San Diego) – large districts have publicly said that schools will be closed on the main strike day , especially where the union has near‑unanimous support for walking out.
- Berlin, Germany – certain daycare centres and schools have been affected by warning strikes, with closures or reduced services limited to specific days.
- West Midlands, England (UK) – staff at 20 schools have been on picket lines in a dispute over job cuts, with strike action extended by several days into early 2026.
Universities and colleges
From a UK‑focused strike calendar of education industrial action:
- Imperial College London – recent strike days over pay.
- Southampton Solent University – staff have taken strike action over fire‑and‑rehire–style pension changes.
- University of Dundee , University of Essex , Edinburgh University , Strathclyde University , and others – multiple previous strike dates and continuing disputes, particularly over job cuts, pensions, and workloads.
These mostly disrupt lectures, seminars, assessments, and some student services , rather than schools for children.
Simple table: examples of current/very recent education strikes
| Location | Type of institution | What’s happening | Impact on schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria, Australia | [1]Public schools | Statewide strike planned for 24 March 2026 | Many public schools expected to close or run limited programs |
| San Diego, California, USA | [5]K‑12 district | Teacher strike over staffing and conditions (late Feb 2026) | District announced schools will be closed on strike day |
| Berlin, Germany | [9]Daycare, schools, public offices | Warning strikes on selected days | Some centres and schools closed or partially closed |
| West Midlands, England | [10]Schools (20 affected) | Teacher strike extended by nine days in job‑cuts dispute | Pupils face multiple days of closure or disruption |
| Imperial College London, UK | [3]University | Industrial action over pay deal | Teaching and services disrupted for university students |
How to check exactly “what schools are on strike” near you
Because strike action is highly local and dates change quickly, the most reliable way to know if your school is on strike is to:
- Check your school’s or district’s official website
- They usually post closure notices or strike‑day plans on the homepage or “news” section.
- Look at union announcements
- National or regional unions (e.g., teachers’ unions where you live) maintain lists of strike dates and affected areas.
- Use regional strike calendars or your local government site
- Some countries (e.g., the UK) have public strike calendars where you can search by sector (education) and region.
- Watch local news outlets
- Local TV, radio, and city‑specific news sites often run up‑to‑date lists of which schools are closed or partially open.
If you tell me your country or city , I can narrow this down and focus on exactly which schools or districts around you are striking or at risk of closure.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.