The group of part-time lecturers at Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (UASZ) is speaking out to denounce the non-payment of their fees for part-time hours during the first semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. The members of this group expressed their outrage at this situation to the press on Thursday.

"This non-payment plunges temporary workers into very difficult, even unacceptable, conditions," the spokespeople stated immediately.

Gertrude Ehemba, a member of the UASZ temporary teaching staff collective who read the statement, indicated that the Rector had clearly announced before the major university holidays that the payment for these hours would take place at the beginning of October 2025.

“However, to our great surprise, on Monday, October 20th, the rector of UASZ announced that he was unable to make the payment. This sparked outrage among these temporary teachers. And, even more seriously, Professor Alassane Diédhiou, as it is he we are talking about, gave me no time or deadline for the payment to be made, citing the unavailability of the expected budget increase from the Ministry,” she said.

This recurring situation no longer seems to be to the liking of these part-time teachers at UASZ. "Such a situation, repeated year after year, reflects a clear lack of consideration for the part-time staff who actively contribute to the smooth running of our higher education institutions, particularly at this university," noted Gertrude Ehemba.

El Hadji Ibrahima Camara, coordinator of the UASZ's group of part-time lecturers, echoed his colleague's sentiments. He welcomed the Minister of Higher Education's stated commitment to reinstating the academic calendar.

"However, this will cannot bear fruit as long as the situation of temporary teachers is not truly taken into account," said El Hadji Ibrahima Camara.

"Every year, we are forced to flex our muscles to get paid, and this situation must end with the break so strongly advocated by the new authorities," he declared, before brandishing the threat of escalating the situation if payment is not received in the coming days.

The part-time lecturers at UASZ are not ruling out withholding grades and preventing any deliberations. They are refusing to submit questions for second-semester assessments and exams and are even considering suspending classes through a series of repeated strikes.

The group of temporary teachers is asking university and ministerial authorities to take responsibility and pay their fees as soon as possible, in order to restore a climate of trust and allow the continuity of the public higher education service in a calm and respectful manner, in accordance with the commitments made.