ASA STRIKE ENTERS FOURTH DAY AS GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIC STAFF CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT By George Philip Jambawai

 ASA STRIKE ENTERS FOURTH DAY AS GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIC STAFF CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT

By George Philip Jambawai

The industrial action by academic staff in Sierra Leone's public tertiary institutions has entered its fourth day, leaving academic activities disrupted as the government and the Union of Academic Staff Associations (UASA) continue efforts to resolve a dispute over salaries and conditions of service.

The strike began at midnight on Wednesday, September 16, after the expiration of a 21-day notice issued by UASA to the Government on August 13.

Since then, academic staff have withdrawn their services across public tertiary institutions, bringing lectures and other academic activities to a halt and leaving many students uncertain about when normal activities will resume.

At Njala University, the effect of the industrial action has been visible in the reduced movement of students and the interruption of normal academic activities.

For students who had expected to continue with their academic programmes, examinations and other university-related activities, the uncertainty has created additional pressure, particularly for those who live away from their homes and have to meet accommodation, feeding and transportation costs.

HOW THE DISPUTE STARTED

The current strike followed several rounds of discussions between academic staff representatives and government over salaries and conditions of service.

On August 13, UASA served government with a 21-day strike notice, saying it had been engaging government stakeholders over its concerns and that efforts to secure a concrete resolution had not produced the desired outcome.

The union identified two principal demands: the immediate implementation of the reviewed Conditions of Service for academic staff in public tertiary institutions and the government's consideration of a 100 percent salary increase. During the notice period, UASA said it engaged the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, the Conference of Vice Chancellors and Principals and the Wages and Compensation Commission.

According to the union, those engagements did not result in an agreement before the notice expired.

UASA subsequently directed academic staff to withdraw their services from midnight on September 16 until further notice. The union has maintained that the action is intended to address concerns over remuneration, welfare and working conditions and has said it remains open to dialogue.

GOVERNMENT'S POSITION

 

Government has acknowledged the concerns raised by academic staff but has maintained that discussions were still ongoing when the strike commenced.

Minister of Technical and Higher Education Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie said government remained committed to dialogue and expressed concern that industrial action had begun while negotiations were still underway.

 The government has also pointed to previous salary adjustments for academic staff.

According to Minister Wurie, lecturers received a 75 percent salary increase in 2021, implemented in instalments, followed by a further 15 percent increase in 2025. She also said the government currently covers about 83 percent of university staff salaries, including leave allowances

The government has therefore maintained that it must consider any further salary adjustment within the country's fiscal position and what the national budget can sustain.

The Wages and Compensation Commission has also become central to the negotiations. The Commission said it had assessed UASA's salary demands and submitted its assessment to the Ministry of Finance on September 11 for further consideration.

GOVERNMENT RE-ENGAGES TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

As the strike entered its third day, government stepped up its engagement with the leadership of public tertiary institutions.

On Friday, September 18, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education convened a meeting involving senior officials from public tertiary institutions, the Wages and Compensation Commission, the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and other stakeholders.

The meeting was aimed at discussing the ongoing negotiations and the government’s response to the concerns raised by UASA.

The Wages and Compensation Commission said further discussions would involve the Ministry of Finance, the Commission, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and UASA.

This latest engagement has brought renewed attention to the possibility of negotiations producing a resolution to the dispute.

A DISPUTE OVER PAY AND CONDITIONS

At the centre of the disagreement is the question of how academic staff should be remunerated and the conditions under which they work.

UASA wants government to implement the reviewed Conditions of Service and consider a 100 percent salary increase.

Government, meanwhile, has pointed to previous salary adjustments and the need to assess any new increase against available resources.

The two sides have therefore presented different positions on the progress of negotiations.

UASA says its demands have remained unresolved despite prolonged engagement, while government says discussions had not been exhausted when the strike began. The disagreement has now moved beyond negotiations and into industrial action, with students and tertiary institutions bearing the immediate consequences.

STUDENTS LEFT IN UNCERTAINTY

For students, the most immediate concern is the interruption of their academic programmes.

Some students have already started leaving campuses, particularly those who cannot afford to remain in their accommodation while academic activities are suspended.

The disruption is also affecting students who travelled from other parts of Sierra Leone to attend university.

Reports have circulated on social media that some Liberian students have also returned home amid uncertainty over the duration of the strike. Those reports, however, require independent confirmation.

For students, the concern is not only about missing lectures.

 

A prolonged strike could affect examination schedules, marking, academic progression and other university processes, depending on how long the industrial action lasts.

The uncertainty is particularly difficult for final-year and postgraduate students whose academic plans depend on examinations, clearance and other institutional processes.

THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR UNDER PRESSURE

The continuation of the strike also raises questions about the academic calendar

Njala University's published 2025/2026 academic calendar shows that the university has already moved through its second-semester examination period and related academic activities, with September activities including university governance and examination-related processes.

Any prolonged disruption could therefore require affected institutions to review their schedules and make adjustments to activities that depend on the availability of academic staff.

The extent of those adjustments will depend largely on how long the dispute continues.

BOTH SIDES KEEP THE DOOR OPEN TO DIALOGUE

Despite the disagreement, neither side has completely closed the door to negotiation.

UASA has maintained that it remains open to further discussions, while government has repeatedly called for dialogue and the use of established negotiation mechanisms. The latest engagement on September 18 could provide another opportunity for the parties to address the outstanding issues.

The immediate challenge is whether the discussions can produce sufficient progress to convince academic staff to suspend the industrial action and return to work.

 FOURTH DAY, NO CLEAR END IN SIGHT

As the strike enters its fourth day on Saturday, September 19, the situation remains unresolved.

Academic staff are still demanding action on their concerns over conditions of service and salary, while government continues to assess the financial and institutional implications of the demands.

For students, the priority is a return to uninterrupted academic activities.

The longer the dispute continues, the greater the uncertainty for students, lecturers and university administrators.

For now, the classrooms remain affected, negotiations remain ongoing and the country waits to see whether the latest government engagement can produce a resolution.