Teachers’ Strike Ends as Malian Government Agrees to Pay Withheld Salaries

Bamako - October 21, 2025 - After nearly three weeks of disruption, public school teachers in Mali have ended their strike, allowing students to finally return to class on October 20. The strike, which began on October 2, had paralyzed the education sector since the start of the new school year.

The teachers stopped work after the government withheld salaries from several of them, labeling them as “fictitious civil servants” following a nationwide physical verification of state employees. The inspection report had identified more than 30,000 fake workers across public institutions - a figure that sparked widespread controversy.

Amid growing tension, the government later acknowledged errors in the report and entered negotiations with the teachers’ unions. Following talks between the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, an agreement was reached to pay the affected teachers by the end of the month.

As part of the deal, authorities have dispatched a new inspection mission across all regions to identify legitimate teachers who were mistakenly omitted from the first audit.

The resolution of the strike brings relief to thousands of students and parents, though it also highlights ongoing challenges in public sector management and payroll transparency within Mali’s civil service.