CAR: University of Bangui teaching staff embark on 21-day strike

Teaching staff at the University of Bangui have just renewed a 21-day strike.

In the Central African capital, the university is still at a standstill. It is the third time that union have renewed their strike in a row. After periods of mobilization of three and eight days, this time, their strike is at full swing paralyzing all operations of the university until the end of the year.

The consequences of the teachers' strike on teaching activities are quite serious," says Olga Diane Bombayongo, vice-rector of the University of Bangui. Classes have been suspended for more than a month and this strike will have an impact on the completion of teaching for the current academic year.

The rate of vacations are at the heart of the claims.

The dialogue is not broken between the government and the teachers' union but until an agreement is found, it is the students who are held hostage.

We are waiting for the government to finally accept our demands," explains Eddy Romuald Wode, head of the university's teachers' union. We ask for the improvement of our working conditions on campus and an increase in salaries."

The stumbling block for the moment is the cost of vacation time for teachers. For the moment, the hour is paid 4,500 francs and the unions are asking that the rate be doubled so that classes can resume.