Fatshimetrie: Teachers’ strike disrupts resumption of classes in Goma
On Monday, October 21, public schools in Goma were the scene of a chaotic resumption of classes, marked by the absence of a large number of teachers. Students, who showed up to return to school after a break, were sent home due to a lack of educational supervision. The cause was a teachers’ strike demanding a salary increase.
The teachers, gathered within the North Kivu teachers’ inter-union, are maintaining their strike movement while waiting for concrete answers to their demands. In particular, they are demanding that the minimum wage for teachers be increased to 500 US dollars, the equivalent of 1,500,000 Congolese francs. A demand deemed legitimate by the strikers, who are anxious to see their financial situation improve, but also to guarantee the quality of the education provided to students.
The teachers’ strike has a direct impact on the school calendar, which is already fragile due to previous interruptions. With nearly two months of lost classes, students risk suffering from this situation if no rapid solution is found. The North Kivu teachers’ inter-union is therefore calling on the government to take urgent measures to save this school year.
Faced with pressure from teachers’ unions, the President of the National Assembly, Vital Kamerhe, has committed to including teachers’ salary demands in the next state budget. A meeting was held with a delegation from the Congolese Teachers’ Union, in order to find solutions to the outstanding problems.
Despite SYECO’s call for classes to resume this Monday, it is clear that the situation remains tense and that teachers remain determined to assert their legitimate rights. Pending a resolution to this conflict, it is the education of students that is at stake, thus recalling the crucial importance of the teaching profession and the working conditions associated with it.