By Saidu Jalloh
FREETOWN — The National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS) has made an urgent appeal for dialogue to end the ongoing strike by academic staff, warning that the industrial action is crippling academic activities across the country.
In a press release dated 26th October 2026, NUSS said students are now bearing the brunt of the unresolved dispute between the Government and academic staff, with teaching, examinations, research and graduation schedules all disrupted.
The union said it acknowledges the legitimate concerns raised by lecturers over poor salaries, harsh working conditions and the non-implementation of previous agreements, insisting that lecturers deserve better welfare and adequate support to deliver quality education.
However, NUSS warned that the prolonged strike is taking a heavy toll on students, threatening their academic calendars and jeopardising their educational progress.
While recognising that Government and academic staff have been engaged in negotiations, the students’ body urged both parties to intensify discussions and work towards a fair, sustainable and speedy settlement that protects the interests of both lecturers and students.
NUSS stressed that students should not become unintended victims of the standoff, noting that restoring normalcy in public universities is critical to safeguarding the future of higher education in Sierra Leone.
The union reaffirmed its readiness to support all constructive efforts aimed at bringing the two parties together, maintaining that dialogue remains the only viable path to a peaceful and lasting resolution.
“Let the negotiations continue. Let the classrooms reopen. Let Sierra Leonean students return to learning,” the statement said.
The release was signed by NUSS President, Fiona Ngima, who called on both Government and lecturers to place students’ welfare and the future of the country’s higher education at the heart of the negotiations.
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