AWEIL — The Director General of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of General Education, Christopher Athian Door, has warned teachers in public schools against extorting money from learners, saying such practices are unacceptable and undermine access to education.
The warning comes amid concerns that some teachers are demanding payments from learners for second and third terms ahead of December 2026 elections without authorization from the State Ministry of General Education.
In an interview with Sudans Post on Sunday, Athian, the state general education director, warned school administrators involved in such practices to immediately stop, saying those found violating education regulations could face legal action.
“What we have learned recently is that some school heads or schoolmasters have begun demanding children call for second-term examination fees without any information provided by the Education Ministry from the headquarters here,” Athian said.
Athian said the ministry has received reports that several school administrators have started collecting unauthorized fees from learners without an official circular or approval.
He described the practice as a form of malpractice that must be condemned, warning that those found involved will be held accountable following the announcement.
“With this announcement, we urge teachers to heed the call to support vulnerable families whose children are already struggling to access education due to the economic challenges affecting our communities,” he said.
He instructed county education directors to closely monitor and identify any teachers or school administrators found extorting fees from learners and report them to the ministry for appropriate action.
“Some people are using the upcoming elections as an excuse, claiming that examinations must be prepared early, and are therefore demanding fees from parents for the second term,” he said.
“We are part of the government responsible for conducting the elections. When the right time comes, we will officially inform parents, teachers, and learners about the necessary arrangements.”
He encouraged parents to report cases of extortion or misconduct by teachers through the appropriate channels.
The warning highlights ongoing efforts by education stakeholders in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to improve the quality of education and strengthen accountability among teachers.
