495. Thus, the budget allocated to the higher education sector is unable to cover the academic needs and operating expenses of universities. Indeed, just like other government sectors, there is a decrease in resources allocated to higher education for the same reasons related to the fight against insecurity mentioned above. For instance, these resources have increased from 53,152 billion in 2019 to 52,877 in the 2020 financial Appropriations Act which is being prepared for adoption. 496. This budgetary restriction explains why the students’ halls of residence, teaching infrastructure and lecture halls which the government had committed itself to allocating to the Universities since 2017 have not yet been delivered. 497. In order to address this lack of a large number of teacher-researchers, the university authorities have embarked on a recruitment drive for teachers on contract or part-time teachers. Adopt a regulation and all the necessary measures to address academic backlogs and recurring strikes. 498. For several years, the higher education sector has been confronted with difficulties in operations in the area of research and innovation due to recurrent strikes among teacher-researchers and also among students. The resultant effect of this situation is the overlapping of academic years in several public universities, Institutes and Advanced Schools. 499. As part of the search for sustainable solutions to this unstable situation in public universities, the regulatory authority, namely the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has taken measures to stem the academic backlogs in public universities among which the following can be cited: - Order No. 108/MESR/I/SG/DL of 30 July 2018, determining the academic calendar year for 2018-2019 in public universities, Institutes and Advanced Schools in Niger; - Order No. 082/MESR/I/SG/DL of 13 June 2019, amending and supplementing Order No. 08/MESR/I/SG/DL of 30 July 2018, setting the academic calendar year for 2018-2019 in public universities, institutes and Advanced Schools in Niger; - Law No. 2019-05 amending Order No. 2010-77 of 9 December 2010, on the general system of science, culture and technical-oriented Public Institutions (EPSCT), adopted on 6 May 2019 by the National Assembly. 500. Furthermore, in the area of education, Orders No. 96-019 of 19 May 1996, amending No. 84-06 of 1 March 1984, on the associations’ regime, instituting the establishment of school associations or school cooperatives in primary, secondary and elementary and middle level vocational training schools as a satisfactory measure to fight against academic backlogs and recurrent strikes. This Order separates the pupils of basic and middle level, general and vocational education system from the Union of Schools in Niger (USN). Support the private education sector and ensure that the pricing of school fees in the private educational institutions and institutes takes into account the purchasing power of the population. 501. In Niger, the academic backlogs and recurring strikes are due mainly to the non-payment of salary arrears, bursaries and allowances. For this reason, the government has established a framework for dialogue between the Ministries, State institutions and sector labour unions. 502. As part of the reforms undertaken by the public authorities to enhance the performance of public universities and related services, the Nigerien government established by Order No. 2019247/PRN/MESR/I/SG/DL of 10 May 2019, a Baccalaureat Board of Niger (OBN). Thus, the establishment of this body meets the high demand for access to second cycle education leading to an increase in the number of candidates for the Baccalaureat at the national level and making it difficult 99