A strike order from the National Union of Higher Education Teachers has placed the latter in a strike position since September 3rd and this until their demands are met.
Once again, the National Office of the Higher Education Teachers’ Union brings academic activities to a standstill. The Synes, following an extraordinary meeting of its executive board at the end of last week, launched the walkout in the 11 public universities. The order calls for imposing “a dead academic start” through an unlimited strike.
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The strike in higher education is based on three points of demands fueling the anger. Teachers are awaiting a response to the request for an audience addressed to the President of the Republic dated January 20, 2025; full payment of the amounts due for the special allowance for research modernization, to all teachers without exception, as well as the total clearance of the academic debt.
Among the sticking points in the relationship between teachers and government, the union also mentions “the persistent indifference of the government of the Republic regarding its commitments in terms of social dialogue, university governance, and the preservation of a calm and peaceful social climate within our public universities.” The Synes also denounces the silence and contempt displayed by public authorities. All these things demonstrate the disengagement of teachers and the progressive deterioration of relations with the authorities.
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According to the union office’s confidences to the media, the government has started paying the academic debt by promising to pay the full amount over three years starting from 2024. But only three universities have received their payments. The remaining amount owed is about 15 billion 600 million CFA francs.
While payment is awaited, the questions that arise are about the effectiveness of the strike in all public university campuses and the duration of the strike. In recent years, some strike announcements have not led to walkouts. Others have resulted in the suspension of academic activities. But these strikes have not persisted until demands were met. Once the government starts paying special allowances for research modernization, the movement stops.
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