Teachers' salary deductions: "these funds are held in the CNSSAP account for retirement purposes" (Union)

Teachers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have noticed that approximately 10,000 Congolese francs were deducted from their April 2023 paychecks.

In light of widespread speculation and unrest, the inter-union coalition of EPST teachers’ unions, meeting in an extraordinary general assembly on Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Kinshasa, sought to calm tensions.

According to this organization, which advocates for the improvement of teachers’ socio-professional conditions, these funds are contributed to the National Social Security Fund for State Public Servants (CNSSAP), specifically to be used for teachers’ retirement.

“After investigation, the information in our possession reveals that these deductions from teachers’ salaries are deposited into the CNSSAP account as part of our retirement plan,” reads the final document issued following the meeting.

The EPST inter-union coalition has promised to find a solution shortly so that this amount, deemed exorbitant by some, can be reviewed.

“Discussions to reconcile the positions of the EPST union representatives and the CNSSAP are already planned and will take place before May 5, 2023. The conclusions reached during these talks will be communicated to you at a later date,” the statement indicates.

The coverage of retired teachers by the CNSSAP is based, among other things, on Law No. 22/031 of July 15, 2022, establishing the special social security regime in the DRC.

The coverage of EPST employees’ pensions by the CNSSAP was the subject of two meetings on December 16, 2022, and January 30, 2023, between Tony Mwaba, National Minister of EPST, and Junior Mata, Director General of the CNSSAP.

Following the second meeting, the EPST General Secretariat announced to “retirees who have already received their end-of-service benefits that their files are being forwarded to the National Social Security Fund for State Public Servants (CNSSAP) for the administration of their pensions.”

Bruno Nsaka