Disgruntled students vow to shore up their strike action

Disgruntled students around the country have vowed to keep their protest movement warm during weekdays, by organizing strikes, sit-ins and protest marches in support of their long-running claims.

• The student protests in Algeria started already in early February, and were sparked by unpopular reforms in the qualification system and poor quality of teaching at Algerian universities. But a loose connection to the regional protest wave was soon noted.

• The student protests are going on, spreading and reaching new heights. All over the country and during the latest weeks, university students have organized strikes, sit-ins and protests.

• Striking students from several universities are planning a protest march in Algiers for April 12^th to press for their outstanding claims, according to a students’ spokesman.
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• However, pharmacy students who are also waging a strike, have said they will not join such a march in order to preclude their movement from taking what they called “political implications”.
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• Earlier this month, hundreds of students at the University of Algiers started boycotting classes. More student joined in a protest march the day after as an “indefinite strike” was declared. Then, students in the cites of Oran, Tlemcen and Annaba followed up with strikes and protests. The protests were peaceful.
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• Students from several cities, including Boumerdes, Blida and Oran, recently streamed into the capital, Algiers, establishing a protest camp in front of the Ministry of Higher Education. Students spent the night in front of the Ministry, demanding that a decree reforming the qualification system be rescinded.

• A student spokesperson told the press that “we are in contact with 38 universities,” all having joined the protest movement.

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• Government so far has not reacted to these peaceful protests and security forces have not interfered with the students. Student leaders in statements have made sure only to focus on issues related to education policies.

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• While the Algerian student protest movement is increasing its pressure on government from day to day, also a wave of strikes is hitting the country. Hospital workers have been on strike, engineers and agronomists have followed and an education sector strike has been announced.