Dissatisfied with the salary freeze for ten years, Gabonese teachers went on strike, leading to the closure of schools for almost a month. These strikes mark the first wave of social unrest under the regime of President Brice Oligui Nguema, who took power in a military coup in August 2023.
"Today, we are in a situation where we are obliged to express anger, to, to say enough is enough, to raise a cry of alarm, to not only improve our living conditions today, but those of the learners. And someone said it, when you want to build a strong nation, you have to have a strong education system.", said Junior Anguila Obame, French teacher.
Gabon crosses a social crisis that has paralyzed its schools since last December. Striking teachers are demanding regularization of hiring, tenure, salaries and advancement.
A resumption of dialogue with the government took place this Tuesday when a delegation from SOS Education was received by Hermann Immongault, the vice-president of the government, and by the ministers of National Education, Civil Service and Budget.
"The teachers’ strike we are experiencing today, we can first go back in history. This is because since 1990, teachers have always posed the problems. The problem of regularization of administrative situations which boil down to careers and working conditions, the constitution of establishments. But the current strike focuses on career actions, the regularization of administrative situations.", said Magloire Memiaga, secretary general of SENA.
To obtain this relaunch of dialogue we had to fight. SOS Education had urged the authorities to release him the two teacher unionists Marcel Libama and Simon Ndong Edzo arrested a week earlier. They were released Monday evening, January 26.
"Today the transition is complete. We are returning to the war footing regarding administrative situations today. This is what is the sticking point of the demands today. We must remember that we are coming out of 10 years of career freeze and it is these 10 years of career freeze that are strangling us today.', added Magloire Memiaga, secretary general of SENA.
The two trade unionists arrested for "obstruction of access to public space", have been on provisional release since Monday evening, their trial will take place on Friday.
