South Sudan teachers threaten strike over unpaid salaries

JUBA – South Sudan’s public-school teachers threatened to shut down schools on Friday after going eight months without pay, raising concerns within the government about the disruption to students’ education.

Minister of General Education Awut Deng Acuil flagged the issue during a cabinet meeting, according to Deputy Information Minister Jacob Maiju Korok.

Dr. Korok stated the cabinet’s directive for the new Finance Minister, Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater, to address the teachers’ salary arrears.

“General Education Minister Awut Deng Acuil raised concern that children studying in government schools will be affected by the decision to close schools over unpaid salary,” Korok said following a weekly cabinet meeting in Juba on Friday.

“The new Minister of Finance took it upon himself that he will actually find a way of getting teachers some salaries because of the qualifications. Otherwise, our teachers may not be able to go to school,” he added.

This development comes after Ms. Acuil, in February 2024, decried a lack of funding for the National Examination Council, the body responsible for grading exams.

The council has reportedly operated for two years without a budget, according to Ms. Acuil, who noted the cost of marking exams for 68,000 students at around 2 billion South Sudanese Pounds (SSP).

The education sector received a budget allocation exceeding 107 billion SSP in the 2022/2023 financial year. However, it continues to grapple with low investment and the significant impact of ongoing conflicts on its administration and management.