Public primary and secondary school teachers in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, over the weekend, demanded that the government clear their four months’ salary arrears by Monday or else they would down their tools.
About 340 teachers made the call while taking to the streets of Bor on Friday afternoon to protest the nonpayment of salaries since July this year.
Several protesting teachers told Radio Tamazuj that they have given the government until Monday to pay them.
Thon Guet, a teacher, said a decision to have a section of government employees paid was unfair and that they will shut down schools come Monday because they feel neglected.
“We have been suffering since July and we have not been paid for four months. We are now protesting and have given the government 72 hours to respond to our request or else we will close all schools on Monday,” he stressed. “Schools will be shut down on Monday and no candidates will be allowed to sit national exams because if the government knows we are important, then they cannot pay some people and leave others out.”
Akwach Mary, another protesting teacher, said they were starving and that the sit-down strike was their only option.
“We have been longing for our salaries for the last four months. We cannot be quiet anymore because we are going hungry,” she lamented. “By Monday we will deny students their rights to be taught because no one can manage to stand without food.”
For his part, John Deng Ajith, the head of the Jonglei State Teachers’ Union (JSTU), insisted they would not back down on their demand.
“We have gone on strike to demand four months’ salary arrears from the national finance ministry,” he said. “Also, we are asking why segregate the payment. SSPDF, other organized forces, and the national ministries were paid while teachers were not paid. Is there any constitution that segregates the payment process?”
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Nyadak John, the state information minister, acknowledged teachers’ demands but urged them to call off their protests, saying nonpayment of salaries is a nationwide problem that is being addressed by the national finance ministry.