About 68 percent of primary school teachers and 65 percent of secondary school teachers took part in the nation-wide strike on Thursday, the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education said.

About 16 percent of primary school teachers and 20 percent of secondary school teachers worked, the Ministry said, adding that the data did not cover teachers on sick leave and those who were absent from work for other reasons.

The largest response to the strike in primary schools was recorded in Sibenik-Knin County, where almost 76 percent of teachers went on strike, and the lowest response was in Krapina-Zagorje County, with fewer than 57 percent of teachers striking.

In secondary schools, the largest response to the strike was recorded in Medjimurje County and Osijek-Baranja County (73 percent) and the lowest in Karlovac County (54 percent).

The two largest teachers’ unions said earlier in the day that 89 percent of primary school teachers and 85 percent of secondary school teachers took part in the strike.

All primary and secondary schools across the country were involved in the strike on Thursday, while as of Friday a rotating strike will begin, taking place in different counties every day until the unions’ demands are met.

The strike was called after the government rejected the unions’ demand for a six percent increase of the job complexity index.