Teachers employed by the Central Equatoria State government who have been striking over increments in salaries and allowances have said they will resume work on Monday after the state government decided to pay their salaries with the 100 percent increment as directed by President Salva Kiir.
The secretary-general of the teachers’ union in Central Equatoria State, Justin Olak Thomas, confirmed that they will officially return to work next Monday after the state government agreed to pay their dues.
“We have agreed with the Central Equatoria State government on the modalities of how to pay the teachers,” Olak said. “So, in our meeting of teachers tomorrow (Saturday), we will announce that teaching and schools will open on Monday while the teachers are being paid.”
The state’s information minister, Androga Mabe Severio, said that the council of ministers agreed to pay the teachers’ salaries with a 100% increment in line with the advice they got from the national public service ministry.
“We agreed as the state cabinet to pay the salaries with 100 percent increment as directed by the president. We had not refused to pay but there were processes that were taking place,” Minister Mabe said. “Some teachers went on strike and said they needed their nature of work allowances. We were not denying them this but we were getting directives as in the last meeting, the council had tabled a memo to the ministry of public service and it was deferred to today (Friday) because he was to collect substantial directives from the national ministry of public service.”
He added: “He got the essential data and updated the council to take the right decision. Now they will be paid according to the new salary structure.”
For his part, the minister of public education and guidance in Central Equatoria State, Cirisio Zachariah Lado, reiterated that the council decided to pay salaries without any cuts.
“The state council of ministers decided to implement the directive of President Salva Kiir to pay salaries with 100 percent increment and also allowances, including nature of work allowances, will be paid as per the pay sheets,” Information Minister Mabe said.
He added: “So, momentarily, the state government has resolved the problem which had caused the teachers’ strike.”
The minister also made it clear that this salary adjustment is not only for teachers but for all public service workers in the state.