By Abass Jalloh
The indefinite industrial action by the Academic Staff Association of the University of Sierra Leone (ASA-USL) has left many students dispirited over the impact on the second semester examinations.
The strike came after the association in a press statement on November 18 expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the Government to adhere to the 100% salary adjustment in the 2021 budget as agreed.
The university administration later on Friday November 20 called a meeting, in response to the ASA threat, with the goal of dissuading them from resuming the strike action.
However, the pressure group was not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, leading to the official commencement of the strike.
In a statement, the group said:
“While we appreciate their quick response and good intention to salvage the situation, we regret to reveal that nothing of substance was proffered at the meeting to entice us to change our stance.” The statement add that the action will continue until their concerns are addressed.
This, according to students of the three constituent colleges of the university - Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) and Fourah Bay College (FBC) - has undermined the progress of their examinations, adding that they feel disappointed and discouraged.
Fatmata Binta Bah, a year-two student of the Mass Communication Department at FBC, shared her feelings with Politico.
“I really felt disappointed because three of my exams have been cancelled. I was so happy to know that by the end of this week I would be done with exams, but cancelling three papers has really been disturbing. I was very well prepared to complete my examination, but the strength I had for the exam I don’t think I have that anymore,” she said.
Unlike Binta Bah, Hassan Conteh, a fourth year Medical student at COMAHS, was to commence exams on the 23rd of November, the day the strike action was effected. Nonetheless he is equally disturbed by the state of affairs.
“One way or the other, we can say it is a disadvantage to us because we have already prepared for the exams. It has really hindered our progress,” Conteh said.
Mariama Kamara, a first year student studying Procurement at IPAM, was to begin her examination next week. But like the other two students, she is also not pleased with the current situation.
“We have not yet started our own exam, but because of this strike for the increment in salary, it has affected us. We keep thinking, when arewe going to start our own exam: Are we going to [take it] before December or not? So I feel disappointed,” she said
The USL administration is yet to issue out a statement concerning the situation. But Dr. Tonya Musa, Head of Media and Communications of the university, told Politico that the situation is clear about the industrial action, noting that the university will fix its timetable for the continuation of the examination.
“The strike is on, and when the strike is over, we fix our timetable. That is all.”
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