16 December 2008
Bissau — Two months after the 2008-09 school year should have begun students in Guinea-Bissau's public schools are still waiting to return to class, held up by a lack of basic equipment and now a teachers strike.
The school year should have started in October 2008 but schools lacked chalk, desks, and chairs to start on time. Then teachers launched a strike on 5 December over salary arrears.
"We will continue to strike until we receive our four months of back wages," Vincent Mendes, president of the Teachers Union of Guinea-Bissau (SINAPROF), told IRIN.
It is not clear whether the necessary equipment would be available when teachers do return to work.
For student Ibu Mbaye, in his second year at Agostinho Neto secondary school in Bissau, the situation is bleak. "Classes for the new school year have not yet begun. I'm really unhappy because due to poor governance our lessons will be delayed again this year."
Januario Embo, a teacher at the Lycée of 23 January in the capital Bissau, described the education situation as "difficult and sad", adding that teachers must be better trained and regularly paid if they are to be motivated to work.
Guinea-Bissauan teachers earn US$73 per month, making them some of the lowest-paid teachers in West Africa, according to the teachers union's Mendes. Most teachers in the country are untrained, and many of them never finished primary school, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
In 2003 students across the country lost a school year because teachers refused to work, having received no pay for 19 months, according to Murido Ca, chairman of the National Federation of Student Associations (CONAGUIB).
As of 2006, the most recent figures available, 54 percent of children in Guinea-Bissau were enrolled in primary school according to UNICEF, and just 9 percent in secondary.
Receiving just 6 percent of the state budget, education has not been a priority for recent governments, and the budget does not always cover salaries, teacher Embo told IRIN. According to UNICEF the government has no education strategy in place.
"The new government must focus on getting out of the crisis we're now in," Embo said.
The African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which won a majority in Guinea-Bissau's November parliamentary elections, emphasised education in their campaign messages.
International observers say the democratic elections marked the first of many complicated steps the country must go through to restore stability in the country.
Political instability, poor governance and stalled development contribute to Guinea-Bissau ranking 175 of 177 countries measured on the UN Human development index.
Ca of the student coalition said if the situation is not addressed soon students will march in the streets to express their anger.
For many public sector workers in Guinea-Bissau, striking is often the only option for going after their pay. In October 2008 hundreds of public sector workers across the country, including nurses, doctors and civil servants, went on strike over three months worth of salary arrears. LINK
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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