Luanda — Higher education teachers across the country began a strike of indefinite duration on Monday.
The strike, declared by the Higher Education Teachers Union (SINPES), is a consequence of the non-resolution of the four main points included in the list of demands, delivered to the Executive, namely decent salary, continuous training, scientific research fund and health insurance.
Angop has learnt that in some faculties of the public Agostinho Neto University (UAN), on the first day of the strike not all the teachers joined.
According to some students, the strike is not involving the foreign teachers.
The last stoppage of classes in this education subsystem occurred in May of the current year, following the general strike of undetermined time.
In their book of demands delivered to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESCTI), the teachers demand the holding of elections in higher education institutions, revision of the salary package, restitution of subsidies, health insurance, improvement of infrastructures and a Scientific Investment Fund for organic units and public and private universities.
They also want the regularisation of public debt, the process of exceptional administrative provision and continuous training of teachers.
According to the Secretary General of SINPES, Eduardo Peres Alberto, if there is a positive response from the Executive in relation to the four points under discussion, a general assembly will be called to deliberate on the lifting or not of the strike.
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In this regard, recently, the incumbent minister of Higher Education, Maria do Rosário Bragança Sambo, expressed the Executive´s openness to dialogue with SINPES.
"The Ministry is open to dialogue and everything is being done to find a platform so as not to harm the teaching process", she said.
SINPES handed the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, in 2018, a book of demands with eight points, which led to three rounds of negotiations and the signing of a memorandum on 17 November 2021.
Under the same memorandum, the parties also undertake to assess the implementation of the electoral process, as well as the possible constraining elements.
