NUSS Urges UASA to End Strike
The National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS) has officially appealed to the Union of Academic Staff Associations (UASA) to suspend its ongoing industrial action, highlighting the severe academic disruptions faced by students nationwide.
In a public statement issued on Monday, October 26, 2026, NUSS President Fiona Ngima expressed growing concern over the nationwide strike's toll on higher education, noting that lectures, examinations, research projects, and graduation timelines have all ground to a halt.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of the lecturers' demands regarding wages, working conditions, and revised Conditions of Service, NUSS emphasized that students must not be caught in the crossfire of the ongoing dispute between academic staff and the government.
“Students should not become the unintended victims of a dispute between academic staff and Government,” President Ngima stated, calling for an immediate return to dialogue.
The student organization urged UASA leaders to return to the negotiation table and reopen classrooms while continuing to pursue their welfare demands with state authorities.
Simultaneously, NUSS pressed the government to treat the academic union's concerns with utmost urgency, calling for intensified, good-faith negotiations to achieve a sustainable solution.
Highlighting the interdependence of all stakeholders, the union stressed:
“Government needs its lecturers, lecturers need Government’s support, and above all, students need their lecturers.”
Reaffirming its commitment to resolving the crisis, NUSS pledged to support all constructive resolution efforts to safeguard the future of tertiary education across Sierra Leone.
The union concluded its appeal with a clear message to both parties:
“Let the negotiations continue. Let the classrooms reopen. Let Sierra Leonean students return to learning.”
Comments