APA-Ndjamena (Chad) According to the crisis committee of the Chad Teachers’ Union (SET), the government has reneged on its promises.
Suspended since 6 January 2024, the strike has resurfaced in the Chadian education sector.
In a press conference held on Thursday 14 March, the president of the provisional board of the SET, Djimhoudouel Faustin, announced a dry and unlimited strike, effective from Friday 15 March throughout the
country.
Broken promises
The committee accuses Dr. Succes Masra’s government of not having kept any of its promises. These include a dedication bonus, a cereal voucher, a reminder of the arrears of transport tickets and the salaries of newly recruited teachers.
According to the trade unionist, the committee has shown its good faith and respected all the negotiation procedures.
However, the president of the provisional bureau pointed out that the government had done nothing.
“On the contrary, the government is taking the liberty, in the middle of negotiations, of cutting the
chalk and documentation bonuses of certain teachers after the biometric census, allegedly to save money,” Djimhoudouel Faustin complained.
In addition, the committee believes that “today, Chadian schools and teachers are not a priority in our country” and calls on its members not to “let themselves be fooled once again.”
A general strike
Since 14 February, the public sector has been paralysed by a two-week strike launched by various trade union platforms. This interruption of activities follows the increase in the price of hydrocarbons.
When the deadline expired, the ‘Union des syndicats du Tchad’ (Chad trade union, UST) called a dry and unlimited general strike from 11 March, demanding that the government respect the three-year social pact signed in October 2021.
According to the trade union platforms that signed the pact, of the 63 points, only 8 have been fully implemented and 33 partially.
In application of this call to action, Chad’s universities have closed, and there is a minimum service in hospitals.
With primary and secondary school teachers on strike, the public sector is now on its knees.
CA/ac/fss/as/APA