- Title: Students in Ivory Coast protest as teachers strike enters sixth week
- Date: 27th February 2019
- Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (FEBRUARY 26, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VIEW OF CROWD OF STUDENTS WALKING INSIDE UNIVERSITY, FELIX HOUPHOUET BOIGNY VARIOUS OF STUDENTS CHANTING WHILE PROTESTING STUDENTS HOLDING PAPER READING (French): "ALL TOGETHER FOR PEACEFUL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE" VARIOUS OF STUDENTS HOLDING BANNERS READING (French):" FREE THE UNIONS MEMBERS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS" "WE ARE STUDENTS, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL" "SCHOOLS NEED TO BE SAVED" STUDENTS MARCHING IN STREET VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE STANDING IN LINE (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT, SERGE GRAH, SAYING: "Ivorian schools have been shaken and abandoned. And as students, as the leaders of tomorrow who are responsible for the future of the country, we are not comfortable with this situation. We are not happy that we are still at home. We want to go back to class. We want to go back to school. Because it's unacceptable to see a parent paying for school fees but seeing their child stay at home. We say no to the strike. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF STUDENT HOSTEL OUTSIDE HOUPHOUET BOIGNY UNIVERSITY INTERIOR OF HOSTEL VARIOUS OF STUDENT SALOMON ETHI (IN BLACK CAP) / STUDENTS TALKING TO FELLOW STUDENTS VARIOUS OF STUDENT PLAYING KEYBOARD / ETHI TALKING ON THE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT, SALOMON ETHI SAYING: "Things don't seem to be progressing on both sides. It feels like there is no will to do anything about it. Things are too quiet. I don't know if negotiations are happening in secret or in hiding. But from our point of view, there is nothing to indicate that things are going to change." VARIOUS OF STUDENT UNION LEADERS TALKING TO GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES SECRETARY GENERAL OF STUDENT UNION FESCI FULGENCE ASSI TALKING DURING MEETING GOVERNMENT MEDIATOR (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT UNION FESCI SECRETARY GENERAL, FULGENCE ASSI, SAYING: "We thought that the beginning of talks between the ministry and the teachers would lead to the reopening of schools, but unfortunately that was not the case. So, we had no choice but to organize this protest march in order to attract the attention of Ivorian authorities as well as international attention." VARIOUS OF STUDENTS MARCHING DURING PROTEST
- Embargoed: 13th March 2019 15:39
- Keywords: Teahcer's strike students protest paralyzed education system
- Location: ABIDJAN, IVROY COAST
- City: ABIDJAN, IVROY COAST
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001A3CYA8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of students from Abidjan's largest university Felix Houphouet Boigny took to the streets demanding that classes be re-opened, amid an ongoing teachers' strike.
French-speaking West Africa's largest economy and the world's top cocoa grower, has faced a growing wave of public sector strikes since last year, that threaten to paralyze the country and undermine an impressive post-war economic recovery.
Felix Houphouet Boigny University and state-run schools have been closed for over a month, as lecturers and teachers strike over poor work conditions and salaries.
Students say they are worried about missing lessons most of the academic year, after the strike interfered with classes.
"Ivorian schools have been shaken and abandoned. And as students, as the leaders of tomorrow who are responsible for the future of the country, we are not comfortable with this situation. We are not happy that we are still at home. We want to go back to class. We want to go back to school. Because it's unacceptable to see a parent paying for school fees but seeing their child stay at home. We say no to the strike," said Serge Gah, as student who participated in the protest march.
At the student hostel at Felix Houphouet Boigny university, Salomon Ethi, a communications student and his fellow students spend their day talking, wondering when they will resume class.
"Things don't seem to be progressing on both sides. It feels like there is no will to do anything about it. Things are too quiet. I don't know if negotiations are happening in secret or in hiding. But from our point of view, there is nothing to indicate that things are going to change," said Ethi.
Talks between the government and the striking teachers began last week, but came to a halt on Monday (February 25), after the government refused to continue negotiations.
Student union FESCI hope that adding their voices and protesting may bring two parties back the to the negotiating table.
"We thought that the beginning of talks between the ministry and the teachers would lead to the reopening of schools, but unfortunately that was not the case. So, we had no choice but to organize this protest march in order to attract the attention of Ivorian authorities as well as draw international attention," said FESCI union secretary general, Fulgence Assi.
Under current President Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast, has routinely recorded some of the highest economic growth rates in Africa on the back of record cocoa production and investments in infrastructure and services.
But historical divisions based on ethnicity, land and religion have not healed and a string of army mutinies and public-sector strikes have taken some of the shine off the country's economic successes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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