Teachers in public schools in Tshopo, facing a worrying financial impasse, have mobilized to demand the payment of their salaries for the month of January 2024. This worrying situation prompted a delegation from the synergy of teachers’ unions in the Bafwasende territory to undertake a trip to Kisangani, with a view to clarifying this thorny issue.
At the origin of this salary blockage, the diocesan CARITAS declines all responsibility, highlighting the debt of the Congolese government to IFOD, a microfinance of the Catholic Church. This explanation, considered unconvincing by the teachers concerned, has rekindled the flame of protest.
Tango Mayanga, spokesperson for the teachers in distress, firmly expresses their determination to win their case: “We returned to school hoping that our salary arrears would be paid. Our expectations have been disappointed. If no concrete solution is proposed, the resumption of the strike will be inevitable.”
Faced with this impasse, the authorities of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) as well as the diocesan CARITAS of Kisangani have the heavy responsibility of finding a rapid solution to this conflict. Father Ferdinand Batubu, coordinator of the microfinance in question, wants to be reassuring by stating that once the government debt is settled, teachers’ salaries can be honored without delay.
However, the teachers’ patience is reaching its limits and the threat of a general strike persists. Such a decision would have disastrous consequences for the education system and the school community as a whole.
In conclusion, the resolution of this financial dispute is crucial to preserve the stability of the education sector in Tshopo. Teachers deserve to be compensated for their dedication and commitment to teaching. It is imperative that stakeholders find common ground quickly to avoid a major crisis with disastrous consequences for all.