School classes in Algeria resumed on Thursday, following a two-day strike by workers and teachers of primary, elementary and secondary schools demanding higher wages. “The proportion of the strike did not exceed 12.45% in all educational institutions, and all measures were taken to resume the lessons,” Algeria Press Service (APS) quoted Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit as saying. “I assure all students and parents that all the conditions that our children experienced have been taken into account and work has been done to ensure that the school program is completed in a timely manner,” she added. Reuters reported that five teaching unions in Algeria went on strike this week over better pay and conditions, joining hundreds of colleagues who had walked out months ago amid public spending cuts caused by falling energy prices. On a different note, the alleged involvement of former Algerian Energy Minister Chakib Khelil in bribes and commissions, which he received to facilitate the win of an Italian company in Algerias natural gas deal, has revived controversy over the cancellation of an arrest warrant issued against Khelil in 2013. An Italian court revealed on Sunday evidence that officials of Eni and its subsidiary Saipem paid bribes in exchange for winning contracts in Algeria between 2007 and 2010. The same prosecutors filed the same charges in 2012, but the file was temporarily closed due to lack of sufficient evidence. "New evidence has emerged in Italy proving the involvement of former minister Khelil in corruption and bribery, thus the Algerian prosecutor has to re-open the file,” Mohammed Ras Al-Ain, former head of the former Algiers court, told Asharq Al-Awsat. Ras Al-Ain was removed from his post in 2003 because of his anti-government political positions. According to Reuters, the long-running case revolves around allegations Saipem paid intermediaries around 198 million euros ($218 million) to win contracts worth 8 billion euros with Algeria’s state-owned Sonatrach. Saipem has previously said the allegations relate to events that took place up to the beginning of 2010.