University Lecturers To Strike Over Unpaid Allowances

University lecturers in Cameroon, grouped under the Union of Higher Education Teachers, known by its French acronym as SYNES, have announced a strike action aimed at pressuring the government to pay years of accumulated research allowances.

In a recent communique, SYNES said the strike action, which will commence on October 16 if the government fails to respond to their demands by then.

There are fears the industrial action would paralyze lectures in the 11 state universities in Cameroon, jeopardizing the smooth take off of the 2024/2025 academic year.

SYNES arrived at the decision in a meeting held October 1 in Bertoua, headquarters of the East Region.

The union’s national secretary for communication, Firmin Moutil, stated that “this call for a strike action is an expression of teachers’ discontent. Deadlines are never respected in the payment of this quarterly bonuses.”

The third installment of this year’s payment is also late.

“The deadline for payment should have been September 31 at the latest, but it wasn’t,” he said.

SYNES expressed dismay over the delay in the payment of allowances for some lecturers, as some have not received their second installment, which was due on June 31.

The Union’s Communications Secretary pointed out that some lecturers quickly receive their bonuses and allowances, while others endure long waits.

A presidential decree instituted the payment of research allowances to University lecturers in 2009.

The instituted law entitles an assistant lecturer to FCFA 385,000 quarterly, a lecturer to a little over FCFA 860,000, and a professor to FCFA 1,000,000.