The death of Keita Daouda, an English teacher at the Lycée Moderne de Bédiala, has sparked a strong reaction in the education sector of Haut-Sassandra. The teacher died on Saturday, September 26, on a corridor along the Daloa-Bédiala route, and several unions are now demanding an investigation to precisely determine the circumstances of the tragedy.
According to the Collective of Trade Unions in the Education-Training Sector of Haut-Sassandra and the SNAPS-CI, the teacher was returning from Daloa by motorcycle after end-of-month errands. He was riding behind a truck that had just passed the checkpoint when a rope used to regulate passage was suddenly raised.
The trade unions claim that this rope violently struck the teacher, who did not survive his injuries. This account is currently based on their narrative and still needs to be confirmed by an official investigation.
Tensions following the death
Upon the announcement of their colleague’s death, several teachers went to the corridor. The unions report that the situation escalated and mention the use of tear gas as well as several injuries among the protesters.
The organizations are now demanding that any potential responsibilities be established and that the operating conditions of the corridor be reviewed. They also mention a previous incident involving a teacher at the same checkpoint in July.
