News: Court to hear Tigray teachers' lawsuit against regional, federal authorities over 17 months unpaid salaries

Addis Abeba – The Tigray Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for 21 November, 2024, in a case filed by the Tigray Teachers’ Association against the Tigray Interim Administration and the Ministry of Finance, regarding 17 months of unpaid salaries for educators in the region.

The association, which initiated the lawsuit in August 2024, claims that both entities failed to meet their financial obligations from 2021 to 2023.

Dawit Gebremichael, the attorney representing the association, stated that the suit holds the Tigray Regional Interim Administration and the regional Education and Finance Bureaus accountable for allegedly diverting five months’ worth of federal salary funds for other uses instead of paying teachers.

Additionally, the association demands the release of 12 months of salary they allege has been withheld by the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite repeated appeals from the teachers.

“The three regional defendants are responsible for reallocating the five months’ salary sent by the federal government for teachers to other purposes,” Dawit said, adding that the ministry’s withholding of funds has “deepened teachers’ financial struggles.”

According to Dawit, the association’s previous efforts to secure responses from both regional and federal governments regarding teachers’ claims and the ongoing lawsuit have been met with silence.

“Despite their continued service and the academic progress of their students, teachers have faced financial hardship and systemic neglect,” Dawit added, emphasizing that “using teachers’ salaries for other purposes is a direct violation of constitutional law.”

For many teachers in Tigray, this prolonged delay in salary payments has caused severe hardship. Shewit Adane, a teacher in the Saesi district of the Eastern Tigray zone, shared the impact on himself and his colleagues, explaining, “Thirteen teachers at Geblen School in our area are living in tents—seven on the school premises and six outside—because they cannot afford rent.”

Shewit described how some teachers have resorted to borrowing from friends or selling personal belongings to cover basic needs, which has led to both emotional and financial distress.

Nigisti Garede, Vice President of the association, highlighted the urgency of the issue, stating that teachers have been “subjected to significant financial stress” and face ongoing hardship while “awaiting intervention that has not yet come.” She emphasized, “If the crisis continues, the resilience of teachers who continue to educate despite their hardships may deteriorate unless urgent action is taken.”

The unpaid salaries are part of a broader context of challenges stemming from the two-year Tigray war, which has affected every sector in the region, including education. Many teachers report continuing their work throughout the war, often under extreme conditions, teaching in makeshift classrooms or even under trees.

The Tigray Teachers’ Association has previously staged multiple strikes, demanding that the Tigray Interim Administration address unpaid salaries for educators across the region. Primary and secondary school teachers have participated in these strikes, calling attention to their increasingly dire financial situations due to prolonged wage delays.

The Tigray Interim Administration had earlier requested a five-billion-birr loan from the federal government in December 2023 to address the mounting salary backlog affecting public servants throughout the region.

Dawit noted that Federal Court Proclamation 1234/2021 allows the Tigray Supreme Court to address federal issues, providing a legal basis for the association’s claims. The association has submitted 17 months of payroll documentation for more than 45,000 teachers to support the case.

Nigisti emphasized the importance of timely action, stating, “If we follow the law, teachers’ salaries will be paid.” The teachers’ association hopes this court case will lead to a resolution, addressing not only the immediate financial issues but also the broader impact on Tigray’s educational system. AS