Students clash with police at two universities

Students in Niger have clashed with police at two universities in protests against national teacher strikes and the late payment of grants.

Last weekend students from the University of Maradi burned tyres and erected barricades in protests against teacher strikes that have continued throughout the whole education system for several months, reported Radio France Internationale or RFI.

Police responded with tear-gas, as the disturbances spread to other institutions in the area.

A student representative told RFI: “The forces of order immediately invaded the campus and drove out the students. There were tens of arrests and some injured among them.”

Another cause for student anger was the late payment of grants, which 10 days before the Maradi protests had caused similar violent clashes at the University of Zinder in the neighbouring region, reported RFI.

The Zinder students were also demanding that the university restaurant should be properly stocked.

The higher education ministry told RFI the government was providing additional funds in the 2017 budget to solve the students’ problems.

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