By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) has today commenced a nationwide strike after months of what it describes as Government inaction on long-standing grievances related to school subsidies, teacher welfare, and the provision of learning materials.
The action follows a resolution passed last week in which the Union confirmed it would activate its suspended strike notice. In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, SLTU Secretary General, Morris S. Conteh, announced that the Union, in consultation with its sub-associations — including the Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (CPSS), the National Council of Head Teachers (NaCOHT), the Council of Heads of Technical and Vocational Institutions (CHTVI), and the Nursery Schools Association (NSA) — had resolved to proceed with the industrial action effective today.
The Union has outlined nine key demands, with priority issues including:
- Payment of outstanding school fees subsidies for the second and third terms of the last academic year, as well as the first term of the 2025/2026 school year.
- A commitment by Government to ensure timely payment of subsidies at the start of every term.
- Correction of anomalies such as underpayments and non-payments of subsidies.
- A review of the current subsidy per pupil to reflect inflation and the rising cost of living.
- Clarification on the financial status of schools approved by Government but still operating without financial support.
- Immediate resumption of teaching and learning material supply, which the Union says has been halted for the past three years.
- Recruitment of additional technical and vocational instructors to strengthen middle-level manpower production.
- Reinstatement and payment of backlog salaries for teachers recently suspended from the payroll.
- Settlement of long-outstanding Performance-Based Financing (PBF) arrears owed to primary schools.
According to SLTU Secretary General Morris S. Conteh, the unresolved issues represent a major barrier to effective teaching and learning, undermining the Government’s flagship Free Quality Education programme. He stressed that addressing the demands would stabilize the education system and align with Government’s stated commitment to human capital development.
The Union has copied its strike notice to President Julius Maada Bio, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, relevant Ministers, parliamentary committees, law enforcement agencies and civil society groups. The Union is urging urgent Government action to resolve the dispute and minimize disruption to the academic year.
“Long live teacher solidarity, long live SLTU, long live the Republic of Sierra Leone,” Morris S. Conteh declared in his letter.
With schools set to reopen next week, parents, pupils and administrators now face uncertainty, as the standoff between the teachers’ union and Government authorities enters a critical stage.
