Teachers’ trade unions multiply strike actions, amid government deaf ear

By Stephen TADAHA

Teachers’ trade unions in both the basic and secondary education sectors, in the French system of education, have threatened to carry on a number of strike actions as of October 5 this year which falls on teachers’ day, if their plights are not resolved by the government.

In a release signed by heads of 12 trade unions at the start of week 3 of the academic year, the teachers demanded:

• the payment of debts owed by the state to teachers
• a guarantee of a real automation of Teachers’s career files be given, notably with the removal of commissions linked to readjustments and changes in grades,
• that the 3-month deadline given by the Ministry of Public Service and administrative reforms for the matriculation of teachers be respected.
• that budget allocations be disbursed for the monthly payment of salaries so as to avoid accumulating arrears,
• That a date for the National Education Forum be fixed and and announced

This threat comes after some teachers in some schools had since the start of the 2023-2024 academic year been observing strike actions in Operation Death Chalk movement.