Tensions remain high at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis. Just hours after the Academic Council announced that the academic year would end on August 14, the Saint-Louis Student Coordination (CESL) stepped forward to express its disagreement and reaffirm its determination to continue the strike.

Speaking to the press, student spokesperson Amadou Ba painted a bleak picture of the situation in Senegalese universities, describing a crisis "that is dragging on" and whose demands remain, according to him, "legitimate".

He insisted that the CESL remains today one of the few student structures to maintain a firm strike order, denouncing a desire by the authorities to "liquidate" the student representation frameworks.

In its statement, the coordinating body reiterated its commitment to dialogue, despite a context marked by tensions and unrest on several campuses across the country. It asserted that it had submitted concrete proposals to the relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI), which have so far gone unanswered.

The CESL also denounces reforms deemed "drastic" and contrary to the interests of students, while calling on all actors committed to higher education to break their "silence".

She warns against any attempt to politicize student demands, which she considers a generational struggle.

Responding to the Academic Council's statement, the coordination rejects any questioning of its legitimacy, stating that it derives its recognition "from the students themselves".

She also believes that this institutional exit "fans the flames" in an already tense context.

Despite the firm tone, the students say they remain open to dialogue. The CESL (Conference of Catholic Students of Saint-Louis) has announced new mediation initiatives, particularly with religious authorities in Saint-Louis, following a previous meeting with the Archbishop of Dakar.

While awaiting a resolution, the coordination maintains its call to action. It directly appeals to Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, urging him to become more involved in fostering a "frank and sincere" dialogue to resolve the crisis.

More than ever, the impasse seems to be continuing at UGB, where students and authorities are sticking to their positions, at the risk of compromising the normal course of the academic year.