**Strike of assistants and heads of works at the University of Lubumbashi: a movement for the recognition of scientific value**
At the heart of the University of Lubumbashi, in the Haut-Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a wind of protest is blowing among the scientific staff. The assistants and heads of works have decided to take action by launching a dry and unlimited strike movement to claim their rightful place within the academic institution.
The demands of the Alliance of Scientific Staff of Congo of the University of Lubumbashi are clear: the mechanization of scientific staff, the correction of grades, the granting of the research bonus, the payment of 8 months of arrears from 2023, the development of a new fair salary scale and the establishment of a Monitoring Committee for the Bibwa 2 agreements. These demands reflect a crucial need for recognition and valorization of the skills of assistants and heads of works who play an essential role in the functioning of the university.
This strike, which is a continuation of the protest movements initiated by other teaching bodies, highlights the internal struggles for the improvement of working conditions and remuneration within the education sector in the DRC. By supporting the approach of the national union bench of higher and university education, the assistants and heads of works of the University of Lubumbashi show their determination to make their voices heard and to obtain significant progress for their profession.
This mobilization also demonstrates the vitality of social dialogue within the university and the willingness of university stakeholders to actively contribute to building a fairer and more equitable education system. By highlighting the issues related to professional recognition and the valorization of scientific skills, the assistants and heads of works of the University of Lubumbashi demonstrate the importance of supporting and promoting the education sector as a pillar of national development.
Beyond material demands, this strike symbolizes the quest for dignity and respect for all higher education stakeholders in the DRC. It calls for collective reflection on the challenges and issues of the education sector and on the need to implement inclusive and equitable educational policies. In this sense, the mobilization of the assistants and heads of works of the University of Lubumbashi is part of a broader dynamic of transformation and improvement of the Congolese education system.
In conclusion, the strike of assistants and heads of works at the University of Lubumbashi is a strong signal of the will of university actors to assert their rights and their skills within the academic institution.This protest movement highlights the urgency of responding to the legitimate aspirations of scientific personnel and of promoting a culture of dialogue and consultation within the education sector in the DRC.