Academics strike over government’s unfulfilled promises

Academic staff in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have halted all academic activities since 9 December in a protest about unfulfilled promises by the government to increase their salaries. According to the striking academics, they will not return to classes until all their concerns have been resolved.

The staff, under the banner of Le Réseau des Associations des Professeurs des Universités et Instituts Supérieurs de la République Démocratique du Congo, or RAPUICO (a network of 16 associations representing lecturers at institutions in the DRC), want the salary scales of lecturers who are paid by universities (non-regularised employees) – as opposed to faculty paid by the government – to be integrated into the government’s salary structure.

RAPUICO also called for the correction of wrongly assigned salary scales so that each professor could be compensated according to his or her assigned scale.

Staff members also complained that they have upgraded their academic levels but their pay has remained the same for years.

A new salary scale

According to a new salary scale agreed upon in October 2023, academics who are paid by the government, are demanding an increase of about US$750 for associate professors and an increase of $1,946 for distinguished professors. Those who are paid by universities also want their salaries to be aligned with the agreed-upon 2023 government scale.

The professors have called on the government for the immediate implementation of 50% of the new scale, which was agreed on last year, to compensate for the loss of purchasing power due to inflation and the local currency’s depreciation. The rest of their increased salaries can be paid over time.

“We must make it clear today that all professors in the DRC are facing a loss of potential earnings evaluated to be [about] 40%. In other words, their salaries are underappreciated,” explains Jean-Collins Musonda Kalusambo, the RAPUICO national coordinator.

A reason for the under-appreciation of salaries is that the salaries for academic staff are calculated in US dollars, but the government does not pay the salaries based on the open market’s exchange rate. Instead, it uses an exchange rate of CDF2,000 (Congolese francs) per one US dollar against the market rate of about CDF2,800 per US dollar on the open market.

The striking staff are, therefore, complaining of the government’s failure to adhere to the market rate. In the war-torn province of North Kivu, the professors’ association in Goma has reminded its members that “the strike is a tool for claiming rights guaranteed by the constitution”, according to Professor Déogratias Munguakonkwa Chimere, the president of the Goma professors’ association.

Students feel they are victims

Already facing questionable quality in education, inadequate infrastructure, and an uncertain future, students have been bearing the brunt of the labour conflict.

“We are confronted with an incomprehensible situation. The government of the DRC, which is supposed to invest in our education, has continuously let us down. In many universities across the country, courses were halted following the strikes by professors,” Jacques Ntumba from the l’Université Pédagogique Nationale or National Pedagogical University, said.

For economics student Dupond Mushangalusa at the Université de Goma, or Goma University, the issue stems from Congolese authorities who lack patriotism.

“Members of parliament, ministers, and other high-ranking officials have monthly salaries that are equivalent to over a year’s earnings of a professor. We call upon the goodwill of Congolese authorities to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. We are tired of prolonged academic years,” he said.

Government response

On the government side, efforts are under way to gradually implement the agreements. According to Professor Marie Thérèse Sombo, the minister of higher education, complaints of striking lecturers and academic staff would be addressed before the year 2024 ends.

“For 2024, the additional payment will have been made, and we are establishing an inter-ministerial committee to monitor the agreements. We have been meeting to work on this and we hope the issues will be addressed,” she said on X earlier in December.

This article was translated from French by Jean d'Amour Mbonyinshuti.