On September 24, 2026, a meeting was held between Guinean education unions and the Prime Minister's office, as well as the Ministry of Modernization of Administration and Public Function. The unions, comprising the National Education Union (SNE), the Free Union of Teachers and Researchers of Guinea (SLECG), and the Federation of Education Professionals (FSPE), discussed the implementation of an agreement signed on January 3, 2026. The talks aimed to address concerns and find a resolution to the ongoing crisis in the education sector.
The meeting was attended by Michel Pépé Balamou, Secretary General of the SNE, who stated that the unions are seeking the concretization of the government's commitments. With the new school year approaching, Balamou emphasized that the fulfillment of these commitments is essential for a peaceful and successful start. The unions are pushing for a co-construction approach, combining social dialogue and corporate demands to find a mutually beneficial solution.
According to Balamou, the Prime Minister, Amadou Oury Bah, was receptive to the unions' concerns and provided instructions to the relevant sectoral departments to address the outstanding issues. The Prime Minister reportedly believes that there is no logic of confrontation between the parties, but rather a matter of interpreting the points outlined in the agreement. The unions and government will meet again in the coming days to discuss and find common ground.
The education unions also met with technical teams from the Ministry of Modernization of Administration and Public Function, led by Minister Faya François Bourouno. Although the Minister was not present, his team engaged in discussions with the unions. Balamou highlighted other unresolved issues, including salary disputes and administrative irregularities affecting 10,000 teachers employed by local authorities in 2024.
These teachers have nine months of unpaid salaries and incentive primes that do not correspond to their areas of assignment. Additionally, there are concerns about the regularization of administrative situations for teachers who did not receive the four salary increments granted by the President of the Republic during his address to the nation on December 31, 2025.
The unions emphasized that modernizing administration means bringing services closer to the people. Balamou stressed that it is impossible to talk about quality public services if teachers have to travel long distances to resolve issues related to their salaries or incentives. The unions are advocating for a more efficient and responsive administration.
A new round of negotiations is scheduled for Monday, under the mediation of the President of the National Social Dialogue Council. The unions hope that all outstanding issues will be resolved before October 5, 2026, to ensure a peaceful and successful start to the new school year.
Key points
- The Guinean government has agreed to meet with education unions to discuss the implementation of an agreement signed on January 3, 2026.
- The unions are pushing for the concretization of government commitments, including the payment of salaries and incentives to teachers.
- A new round of negotiations is scheduled for Monday, under the mediation of the President of the National Social Dialogue Council.
