Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABIDJAN789
2006-07-21 16:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abidjan
Cable title:  

COTE D'IVOIRE: TEACHERS' STRIKE WIDELY IGNORED

Tags:  ELAB PREL KPKO IV 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7940
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0789 2021607
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211607Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1620
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000789 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2016
TAGS: ELAB PREL KPKO IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: TEACHERS' STRIKE WIDELY IGNORED

REF: A. ABIDJAN 771


B. ABIDJAN 782

Classified By: Poloff Phaedra Gwyn for reasons 1.4 b&d

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000789

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2016
TAGS: ELAB PREL KPKO IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: TEACHERS' STRIKE WIDELY IGNORED

REF: A. ABIDJAN 771


B. ABIDJAN 782

Classified By: Poloff Phaedra Gwyn for reasons 1.4 b&d


1. (SBU) The strike by elementary and secondary school
teachers that was supposed to resume on July 18 (ref A) was
widely ignored. While Mamadou Soro, the leader of the
teacher,s group calling for the strike, was quoted in the
newspapers as saying over 70 percent of teachers boycotted,
all other press reports indicated that the strike was a
failure.


2. (C) Georgette Eboi, the government official in charge of
the administration of the nationwide baccalaureate exam, told
us on July 20 that the strike had not disrupted the
administration of the oral exams because the government was
able to quickly replace teachers who did not show up. Eboi
added that even on July 19, despite the demonstrations by
pro-Gbagbo militias (ref B),many test centers were
functioning throughout the south, including 23 out of 56 in
one sector of Abidjan. Eboi said that it was difficult to
gauge how widely the strike was followed because the
government had no way of knowing whether absenteeism was due
to the strike or other reasons.


3. (C) Eboi saw no way to resolve the teachers' demands
because the government does not have the funds to do so.
Nevertheless, she said that the strike was not particularly
troubling because exams were able to take place, despite some
delays. More troubling was the possibility of a disruption
to the written baccalaureate exam, scheduled to begin on July

25. Students are given the same written exam beginning at
the same time throughout the country. If Young Patriots
continue protesting the identification process, they could
disrupt the exam in certain locations, forcing some
administrators to postpone the test and opening the door to
cheating. Eboi said they would be monitoring the situation
closely and would delay the beginning of the written exams if
there were threats of demonstrations on that day.


4. (C) Comment: It must come as a relief to Ivoirian
families that their children have been able to take the
examinations as scheduled. The Prime Minister is also no
doubt relieved that this latest potential storm has so far
turned out to be just a light shower. End Comment.
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