Demonstrations by students who demanded their unpaid scholarships for nine months have degenerated in the southern part of the country, leaving one student dead and another seriously injured, according to the report from the gendarmerie on the spot. The arrears were paid out yesterday Monday after almost two weeks of demonstrations.
with our correspondent in Antananarivo, Laure Verneau
Four months of outstanding scholarships were released yesterday, according to a source familiar with the matter, who explains that if the payments were not made on time, it is because the lists of beneficiaries have not been updated by the competent authorities. There would be between 20% and 30% of the fictitious names on these lists, and therefore the need to clean up.
It’s been two weeks students in Tulear protest because of these unpaid scholarships. An amount between 25,000 and 30,000 Aryans per month (between 6 and 7 euros), which is not paid by the Ministry of Higher Education.
These scholarships allow these young people to live together with their studies. Especially due to health restrictions, it was more complicated to find a job during the pandemic.
Recurring events
However, in a press release issued by the Minister of Higher Education, she condemned a political maneuver and declared condemning “all forms of instrumentalisation of students in order to disrupt the life of the nation”.
However, this is not the first time that Tulear is the stage for student demonstrations. By March last year, young academics had already taken to the streets for the same reason and then demanded toilets at their university or the resumption of construction of a university.
From Mahajunga to Tamatave via Antananarivo or Fianarantsoa, for one and a half years, Malagasy students have regularly demanded payment of their unpaid scholarships.
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