***Fatshimétrie***
This December, the National Union of Heads of Works and Assistants of Academic Services (SYNACASS) is once again making headlines by announcing the renewal of a national strike for December 9, 2024. This decision, initiated by the Union Ban of Higher and University Education (ESU), follows the government’s failure to respect the commitments made during the Bibwa 1 and Bibwa 2 agreements.
SYNACASS raises crucial points in a context where promises are struggling to be transformed into concrete actions. Indeed, the union’s demands include the non-payment of salaries and institutional bonuses for 70% of non-mechanized units, as well as the correction of grades for 80% of staff paid below their actual grade. These recurring dysfunctions place teachers in unacceptable precariousness, calling into question the quality of teaching and the well-being of workers.
Furthermore, the partial payment of the institutional bonus, the non-application of the research bonus provided for in the agreements, or the lack of effective monitoring by the dedicated standing committee, attest to a certain lack of interest from the authorities in teachers’ concerns. This administrative inertia reflects a crisis of confidence between the government and education workers, jeopardizing social dialogue and the promotion of this sector, which is essential for the country’s development.
Faced with these major challenges, SYNACASS reaffirms its determination to make the voices of workers heard and to defend their rights. The strike of December 9th thus asserts itself as a legitimate means of pressure to demand concrete and lasting changes. The union calls for solidarity and the mobilization of all, aware that unity is the key to obtaining satisfaction and improving the working conditions of ESU staff.
In conclusion, the social situation of teachers in the DRC remains worrying, and the strike announced for December 9, 2024 reflects the urgent need for a deep and just reform. By supporting the trade union movement, civil society and the authorities could work together to significantly improve the living and working conditions of teachers, guarantors of education and the future of the nation.