According to the secretary general of the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (Sinpes), Eduardo Peres Alberto, João Lourenço's proposal was delivered by the Minister of Public Administration during a negotiating meeting last Friday.
"At the meeting, the minister of MAPTSS [Ministry of Public Administration, Labor and Social Security] delivered the salary proposal to the union, coming to the President of the Republic, it has an increase of 6 percent, a percentage that does not dignify the teaching class. and that's why we reject it", the unionist told Lusa.
But as it is a matter of negotiations, he noted, the union "did not agree, rejected the same proposal and will have to present a counterpoint to the President of the Republic's proposal by Friday", for when a general meeting is scheduled.
Salary increases, better working conditions, payment of public debt and elections of the governing bodies of public higher education institutions are some of the demands of Angolan teachers on strike since January 3, 2022.
The secretary general of Sinpes recalls that the strike, for an indefinite period, arises as a result of "non-compliance" with the memorandum of understanding signed in November 2021 "by the authorities".
A salary equivalent to 2000 dollars for the assistant professor intern and 5000 dollars for the full professor are the salary proposals of Sinpes to counteract the current "mediocre salaries".
Eduardo Peres Alberto made it known that with the proposal for a 6 percent salary increase, presented on Friday, the full professor will have a net salary of 598,000 kwanzas, the associate professor a net salary of 546,000 kwanzas, assistant professor 514,000 kwanzas, the assistant a salary of 483,000 kwanzas and the intern 410,000 kwanzas.
"Therefore, this amount is tiny because there was no evolution", said the leader of Sinpes, who led a demonstration by university professors in Luanda on March 19 against non-compliance with the memorandum.
The strike "continues indefinitely, but the general assembly will evaluate and guide its continuity or not", highlighted Peres Alberto.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation considered, last February, that the salary increase of the teachers on strike was a "delicate and complex process", guaranteeing, however, that actions were being taken at the Government level in this area, in headquarters for a more general approach to public administration salaries".
Last Friday's meeting brought together at the ministry's headquarters, in Luanda, the head of the body, Teresa Rodrigues Dias, the minister of Higher Education, Maria do Rosário Bragança Samba, and members of the national secretariat of Sinpes.
