Academic year 2011: tense expectation

 
Will there be any academic year 2011 for Malagasy universities? Doubt and impatience are increasingly exciting students. The ministry in charge of superior education is still failing to overcome the resistance opposed by the union of professors and searchers,the local SECES, in quest of unpaid wages: 800 000 ariary, not to mention the year 2010´s extra time. 
The previously promised money, under the Roindefo government, has been cancelled by the Vital one, and redirected towards more “vital” agents. The teaching class only got 300 000 ariary a month and obviously did not bear the fact of being left behind, namely far behind the army. The HAT stroke back, delayed the repay of all extra times as long as possible in order to pressure the union. The official incentive: too many fake declarations and the need to keep everything under control. 
On the other side, the students started a strike of their own, requiring the academic year to start. “This problem began in March 2010, has been lasting till today, governing means foreseeing, they must have foreseen that Malagasy students might have had to study in 2011 too.”, roared the students´spokesman. 
In Ankatso, Law, Economy, Management and Sociology students joined the future physicians´ movement. In Vontovorina, the Polytechnic school´s future engineers emulated, sending professors and the administrative staff back home. They blocked a road but built barricades following talks with the mayor.   
The new minister in charge of superior education is compelled to resort to diplomat skills. Former ambassador Antoine Zafera is persuaded that the problem is about to be settled. He refrained however from putting any academic return´s date forth, for believing it paramount to come up to a deal. 
According minister Zafera, the academic return 2011 depend on professors, supposed to be the first ones to give in. The universities´deans are in the best possible position to restart the eductional process after 7 months off, the ministry would be able to pay. Money for extra times has been provided to every university but that Antananarivo merely on technical reasons “, declared Antoine Zafera. 
The HAT´s minister hinted that the striking union would be granted what it wants, namely that the money would be transfered to the university, and not directly to the concerned individuals. Each university´s presidency would be in charge of distributing it. 
The HAT´s minister in charge of superior education was angered by the SECES´s latest demonstration as he thought that an agreement had been dealt. Antoine Zafera pushe up to the irony when denouncing thestudents´ strikes. “They are not even registered as students but they are already striking. I believe, workers may strike once they´re in “. The students actualy merely yearn to study, they only want an academic year with real teaching to resume.