For Nega Gudetaa, a hydraulics lecturer at Mizan Tepi University in South West Regional State, becoming a researcher was a lifelong dream. He graduated with honours, yet the reality of his career has not matched his expectations. Nega echoes a growing concern within the academic community—struggling to survive on a lecturer's salary. His gross monthly salary of 12,000 Br barely covers his expenses after sending a portion to his family and paying rent.

"How can I talk about the quality of education in this state?" he asks.

Some of Nega's colleagues have resorted to driving three-wheelers incognito to make ends meet. This issue has only intensified following the recent foreign exchange regime liberalisation with the anticipated inflated cost of living, leaving civil servants like Nega feeling the sting of their diminishing paychecks. Although a monthly rent allowance was introduced for lecturers in February 2023, Nega, with eight years of experience, finds this stipend insufficient. He notes that only 350 Br of housing allowance remains after tax, with his net earnings falling below 10,000 Br.

"We need answers," he told Fortune.

University lecturers and academic staff across the country have been engaged in a prolonged struggle to improve their working conditions and secure adequate salaries. They argue that their current pay is insufficient to meet the rising cost of living and does not reflect their qualifications and contributions to higher education. With the new academic year looming, they are allying to get their demands heard including better pay, housing, and working conditions.

Ethiopian Teachers Association, the principal lobbying group for educators, has raised concerns about the 2019 salary increment for the highest-ranking academic staff—a mere 223 Br. Three years later, a letter signed by Yohannes Benti (PhD), president of the Association, was sent to several institutions, including Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office, outlining these grievances.

"It doesn't even cover a lunch meal," reads the letter.

Founded in February 1949 by 32 teachers from Minilik Senior Secondary School, the Association also advocates for the rights of higher education academic staff. It is recognised by the government as a lobbying entity, although other groups, such as the Ethiopian Universities’ Lecturers Association, the Confederation of Lecturers’ Association, and various regional associations, also exist.

The pay scale for over 40,000 academic staff in government-owned higher education institutions is structured across several ranks based on the Job Evaluation & Grading (JEG) system. This system standardises public service jobs by evaluating and grading them based on specific criteria to ensure equitable salaries and benefits proportional to job responsibilities, reducing disparities in pay for similar positions across different institutions.

The structure includes 22 classifications, with professors at the top. A point of contention within the JEG system is its prioritization of academic credentials over experience. Critics argue that the Commission’s job rating and grading process—considering factors such as innovation, effort, and risks involved—often overlooks the intangible skills, competencies, and attitudes crucial to teaching and research.

Although the Civil Service Commission ordered that those working in teaching colleges be classified as higher education staff, with their salaries and benefits determined accordingly under the JEG system, Yohannes stressed that this has yet to be implemented. According to him, while salary scales have been standardized, disparities in benefits—particularly housing allowances—persist, except in the Amhara Regional State.

"It was approved by the regional cabinet," he told Fortune.

While the federal government has acknowledged these concerns, it has fallen short in providing solutions. Despite repeated promises of salary increases and improvements in working conditions, lecturers have expressed frustration with the slow progress and the government's failure to deliver on its commitments.

The economic crisis within the sector underscores a broader issue of compensation and recognition within civil service professions. Federal Civil Service Commission, tasked with overseeing the administration and capacity building of civil servants, has not responded officially.