University Lecturers to Begin Strike January 6

The National Union of Teachers of Higher Education, known by its French acronym SYNES, will on January 6 begin a strike action.

This is the outcome of an ordinary meeting of the executive office of SYNES held via video conference on Friday, January 3.

They resolved to cease all activities starting Monday, January 6, owing to numerous challenges that they are urging the government to address.

Some of them include the non-payment of academic debt, discriminatory award of research grants, and deplorable working conditions.

In a press release signed by SYNES Secretary General Prof. Wogain Fotso, it said the union is willing to collaborate with the government in finding solutions.

SYNES reaffirmed “its full willingness to collaborate with all institutional authorities in order to find lasting solutions to the concerns raised; it remains in solidarity with the demands of the Coordinations of the Universities of Bertoua, Dschang, Ngaoundéré, and Yaoundé I,” the press release read in parts.

According to the body, as of January 3, 2025, teachers have not received their payments despite the increasingly degrading working and living conditions in state universities.

As a result of these challenges, SYNES stated that “the conditions allowing teachers to resume serenely their activities have not been met,” it read.

It further added that SYNES therefore “invites colleagues to cease all their activities from Monday, January 6, 2025, at 7 a.m., until full payment of the academic debt and the installments due of the special allocation for the modernization of research to all teachers.” 

Not the first time SYNES is striking

Their imminent strike comes owing to failed assurances from the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo.

Last year, SYNES threatened to strike several times.

Each time a strike is announced, the minister quickly implements short-term solutions.

The lecturers insist on having all their demands met before returning to classrooms.

Students and lecturers will return from the Christmas break as classes resume on Monday.

The announcement of a strike may ground activities across state universities in the country, as no teaching forces students to stay at home.

Mimi Mefo Info