The University of Comoros (Udc) has officially started its 2026-2027 academic year, but the resumption of teaching activities is uneven across different departments. According to the Ministry of National Education, the academic year was set to begin on September 14 for teachers and September 28 for students. The Udc's Secretary General, Mouigni Hamza Said Issimaila, reports that the majority of teachers and students are present, with second- and third-year students having already started classes.
Despite the optimistic reports, the situation on the ground appears more complex. At the Imam Chafiou faculty, fewer than 20 students were present on Wednesday at 10:30 am. The interim dean, Dr. Ismaël Maoulida, notes that the academic year is progressing, albeit slowly, with some teachers, including Dr. Abdoulhakim Mohamed Chakir, starting to teach. However, attendance remains low.
The Institute of University Technology (Iut) has not yet considered the academic year as having effectively started. Its director, Ahmer Bacar, explains that the previous academic year's activities have not been completed, with the thesis defense phase still ongoing. The Iut will assess the effectiveness of the new academic year starting next week.
Some teachers are still waiting for their schedules, which is hindering the resumption of classes. A contract teacher at the Patsy university site, who wishes to remain anonymous, states that most teachers have not received their timetables. He also highlights the precarious situation of several colleagues who have been working on fixed-term contracts since 2017.
The Udc administration has promised to review the situation of contract teachers, but the teacher expresses doubts about the implementation of these commitments. The head of the school administration attributes the difficulties in distributing hours to technical issues with the platform set up by the Udc's human resources department.
The Udc faces the challenge of a large number of new students, with approximately 6,000 expected to join the 11,000 already enrolled, bringing the total to around 17,000 students. The rectorate has submitted proposals to the government to manage this increase, which have been approved. The university plans to implement measures such as rotating classrooms to accommodate more students.
The question of pedagogical supervision is also a concern. The rectorate plans to start the year with existing teachers and consider new recruitments based on needs. The situation of contract teachers will be examined according to their profiles and departmental needs. This academic year begins in a tense social context, with teachers announcing an unlimited strike that may disrupt university activities.
Key points
- The University of Comoros faces challenges in managing a large influx of new students and addressing the concerns of contract teachers.
- The academic year has started slowly, with low attendance and delayed teaching activities in several departments.
- The university administration has proposed measures to address the increase in student numbers and improve pedagogical supervision.
