Institutions’ coffers empty, hunger strike by students

Côte d’Ivoire’s public treasury has failed to replenish the funds of at least two higher education institutions for the past six months, leading to a hunger strike by students at one and researchers being unable to carry out their work at the other.

Meanwhile, the higher education minister has visited provincial universities to learn of the problems experienced by staff and students.

Students at the Institut National de la Formation Sociale, or Infs, which is devoted to studies in pre-school education, social work and special needs, began a hunger strike on 11 July after not receiving their grants since December 2012.

Koné Issouf, president of the students’ association Ase-infs, told Le Nouveau Réveil that the grants were usually paid every three months.

Since February the students had been in negotiations with the university’s administration, which had hidden the “true reasons” until now, when the accountant revealed that the public treasury had not replenished Infs’ funds.

Also, the institute’s only restaurant had been closed for two weeks because of operating problems, said Issouf.

He had asked the institute to deal with the situation and the treasury to speed up payment of the grants. “In any case, it’s hard for us. We can’t travel, and we have our reports to write.”

At University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, formerly the University of Cocody-Abidjan, research grants have also been unpaid for six months, reported Le Nouveau Réveil.

Here, too, the accounts department had not received funds from the public treasury, and no date had been fixed for their arrival, according to teachers-researchers’ unions. They had been expecting the research payments in June and had been waiting since January so they could carry out their work.

No action has yet been taken but angry staff are relying on their unions to sort out matters, said Le Nouveau Réveil.

Meanwhile Cissé Bacongo, the minister of higher education, has made a tour of the provincial public universities, reported Le Nouveau Réveil.

He wanted to see for himself “the realities of living and working conditions of teachers, researchers, administrative staff and students”, and to check progress being made in the rehabilitation of the universities.

Bacongo met staff and students at the universities of Péléforo Gon Coulibaly de Korhago, Alassane Ouattara de Bouaké and Jean Lorougnon Guédé.

They told him of their problems – shared with the Abidjan universities – including student accommodation and transport; lack of lecture theatres; poor internet connections that impeded teaching ‘LMD’ (licence, masters, doctorate), the system based on the Bologna process; and delays in delivery of educational equipment.

Bacongo recognised the difficulties, reported Le Nouveau Réveil, which quoted him as telling staff: “We have no illusions, we have carried out rehabilitation works in a surrealistic time of 10 months...I would ask of you just a little patience. Everything will be implemented to give you the best working conditions.”

He appealed to students: “It is you who are called on to lead the country tomorrow. It is today you must learn to be responsible, to respect others. The only matter that must concern you is your studies, for the country is depending on you.”

* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.