Freetown, 12th September 2025 — After nearly a week of nationwide strike action, the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) has officially called on teachers to return to their classrooms starting Monday, 15th September. The decision follows high-level negotiations with government officials, including the Vice President, aimed at resolving long-standing grievances over unpaid subsidies and suspended teacher salaries.

The SLTU, in collaboration with its sub-associations, the Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (CPSS), National Council of Head Teachers (NaCOHT), Council of Heads of Technical and Vocational Institutions (CHTVI), and the Nursery Schools Association (NSA), expressed gratitude to its members for their solidarity during the industrial action, which began on 8th September.

According to union officials, the strike prompted urgent engagements with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Teaching Service Commission. These talks, chaired by the Vice President, yielded several commitments from the government, including:

School fee subsidies for the second and third terms of the 2024/2025 academic year have been disbursed to most schools nationwide. Institutions that remain unpaid or underpaid are urged to submit reports to their district union offices for follow-up.

Of the 4,662 teachers previously suspended from the payroll, 1,802 have now received salaries for July and August. An additional 325 teachers are expected to be paid in September, including backlogged payments. Verification continues for those not yet captured.

A joint committee has been established, coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and comprising the Ministries of Education and Finance, the Teaching Service Commission, and SLTU, to address all outstanding issues.

Following an emergency consultative meeting held on Friday, union leaders resolved to suspend the strike and resume teaching activities. SLTU President Ibrahim B. Kargbo emphasised the importance of monitoring ongoing payments and ensuring that all legitimate teachers are reinstated and compensated.

The union also acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, and other allied organisations during the standoff.

As schools prepare to reopen, SLTU is urging all teachers to continue their service to the nation with diligence and commitment, while remaining vigilant on the implementation of government promises.