The government of Mali has begun recruiting 15,000 teachers in order to break a nationwide strike which began last week over higher pay demands.
According to a statement released by the country’s Youth and Sports Ministry, the recruitment drive is open for 10,300 primary school teachers and 5,000 secondary school teachers and will be on a 6-month contract.
Eight teaching unions declared a strike on January 21, after negotiations with the government broke down.
According to Adama Fomba, a union leader, who spoke to AFP, teachers are demanding that the government honour a pledge made in January 2019 to raise public salaries by 20%,
This move comes as Mali’s prime minister had threatened to hire from a large pool of jobless teachers if the striking teachers did not return to their classrooms.
According to the statement, candidates have until February 7 to apply – the same day the strike is scheduled to end – and they must already have a teaching qualification.
