TEHRAN, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - A group of Iranian MPs on Wednesday submitted a motion to impeach the education minister over 'incompetence' and for ignoring teachers' financial woes, Fars news agency reported.

Eighty-two MPs in the 290-strong parliament signed the motion to impeach Alireza Ali-Ahmadi, who was only appointed to the post in February after his predecessor was sacked by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

'The education ministry under Mr Ali-Ahmadi has faced serious challenges ... which will inflict irreparable damages to our country's education if this trend continues,' the MPs said.

The MPs accused the minister of 'ignoring financial problems of the teachers all over the country' and said his 'incompetence in managing affairs has caused at least 90 percent of educators to be dissatisfied with him'.

Ali-Ahmadi's ministry has failed to fully pay school budgets, teachers' retirement bonuses, overtime and commuting and training expenses, the MPs said.

Former education minister Mahmoud Farshidi survived an impeachment in May 2007 before being sacked by Ahmadinejad in December in one of his numerous cabinet reshuffles.

The impeachment motion came after a string of demonstrations by teachers over low salaries that included three unusually large protests outside parliament within a week in March.

Several teachers active in the education union were arrested over their roles in the protests, which were aimed at bringing their pay into line with other civil servants.

Schoolteachers in Iran earn between 200 and 300 dollars a month, which is not enough to make ends meet, especially in the capital, forcing many to take second jobs in the private sector.