NIGER: CONTRACT TEACHER PROTESTS AND STUDENT

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000121

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ELAB SOCI PHUM SCUL PINR ASEC NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: CONTRACT TEACHER PROTESTS AND STUDENT
DEMONSTRATIONS IN NIAMEY


1. On March 3, public high school and middle school students took to
the streets to protest in support for contract teachers. The latter
have been observing slowdown strikes for several weeks to pressure
the Government of Niger (GON) to provide permanent employment to
those who have completed at least four years of service, and to
"reimburse their social security and other fringe benefits relating
to their function." The public school students' demonstration was
intended to press the GON to meet the demands of their teachers; the
students stated that they wanted to go back to school because they
would be the ones to be mostly affected by academic year
disruptions.


2. To settle this dispute, the Council of Ministers on February 26
adopted a decree defining the requirements for recruitment into the
civil service that would not involve passage of a test. The decree
states that GON employees on contract, to be eligible for permanent
positions without taking a test, must comply with the "civil status
and professional qualification requirements for the recruitment of
civil servants. In addition, candidates must be required to have
proven competence and professionalism in their field of employment
under contract, as well as years of contract services determined by
the employing agency." Regarding recruitment modalities, the decree
also established two commissions - a commission to receive and
screen applications, and a national selection commission. The
Ministry of Civil Service and Labor's Director General of Labor will
chair the national selection commission, which will be composed of
representatives from the Presidency, the Prime Minister's Office,
the Ministry of Finance and the Economy, and the employing agency.
Contract workers, especially teachers, disapprove of the GON's
decision.


3. The contract teachers' union (made up of over 75 percent of
Niger's teachers) started another five-day strike on March 2 to
protest against the GON's February 26 decree. Contract teachers
thought that the recruitment procedures adopted by the GON would be
slow and marked by irregularities. They also blamed the GON for not
addressing the issue of their benefits and allowances.


4. Comment: For almost two years, the student movement has been
calm, breaking from a tradition of spontaneous and repeated strikes.
The GON appears to be striving to maintain a peaceful academic
environment, particularly given that both local and national
elections are scheduled to take place this year. End comment.

Allen