SAES has won a vital battle for pension reforms in Senegal, securing pension reversion and including research allowances in pension calculations through a decree signed on March 7, 2025. This achievement enhances financial security for families of deceased lecturers and researchers. The union remains committed to additional reforms and improvements in higher education.
The Autonomous Union of Higher Education (SAES) in Senegal has achieved a significant victory regarding pension reforms for university lecturers and researchers. On March 7, 2025, the Senegalese government signed a decree allowing pension reversion for beneficiaries and incorporating the research allowance into pension calculations. This decision provides essential support to the families of deceased academic staff and concludes years of advocacy by the union.
Since the historic agreement, dated March 15, 2018, which established a pension replacement rate of 85% of the last net salary, one prominent issue persisted: the lack of pension reversion for beneficiaries of deceased lecturers and researchers. Previously, spouses and orphans received a meager 13% of the lecturer’s net salary, highlighting an injustice that needed addressing.
In response, SAES intensified its advocacy efforts, culminating in a protocol agreement with the government in January 2023 aimed at reforming pension reversion policies. While there was governmental support, actual progress was slow, prompting the union’s strike notice to expire in January 2025, which increased pressure on the authorities. After several months of negotiations, the crucial decree was signed in March 2025.
This decree signifies a major advancement: families of deceased lecturers and researchers are now entitled to pension reversion, enhancing their financial security. Furthermore, including the research allowance in pension calculations marks an improvement in post-career earnings for university faculty. SAES’s national secretary-general described this development as a redress for long-standing injustices faced by bereaved families.
Despite this latest victory, SAES remains focused on continuing to pursue additional demands such as university infrastructure development, the mass recruitment of academic staff, and enhanced research funding. The union has committed to ensuring a sustainable academic environment and has urged its members to stay vigilant to facilitate the full implementation of the January 2023 agreement.
In summary, SAES’s recent success in securing pension reversion and integrating the research allowance into pension calculations is a significant milestone for the families of deceased lecturers and researchers in Senegal. While this victory addresses long-standing injustices, SAES is poised to continue advocating for further improvements in higher education, emphasizing the need for ongoing attention to university infrastructure and research funding.
Original Source: www.senenews.com
