In Côte d’Ivoire, public sector schools have been affected by a teachers’ strike, initiated by two trade union coalitions demanding increased quarterly allowances. The strike action has been taken despite threats from the Ministry of Public Service to sack any teachers who participate.
The situation has led to varying levels of disruption across different schools on Monday April 7, with some establishments continuing with lessons while others have been largely impacted by teacher absenteeism. In communes like Cocody and Abobo, the response to the strike has been inconsistent, with some schools remaining open, while others saw a significant number of students sent home.
At the Modern College of Mpouto in Cocody, only two out of thirty teachers were present to conduct lessons. Despite the limited teaching staff, many students remained in class, using the time to study or complete assignments. In contrast, at the Modern High Schools of Abobo 1 and 2, dozens of students left mid-morning, citing the absence of their teachers. The schools serve nearly 10,000 students, most of whom extended their break in the playground. The strike appears to be more widespread in schools located outside of the capital, according to union spokesperson David Bli Blé, although the exact scale of the strike remains unclear at this time.
The strike action centres on demands for higher incentive bonuses, with ongoing negotiations since October 2024 failing to yield results. Unions have accused the government of stalling the discussions, while the Director-General of the Public Service, Soro Gninagafol, criticised the strike as illegal. He stated that it violated the social truce and undermined ongoing negotiations. Tensions between the unions and the government have escalated as the dispute continues to affect the education system across the country.