The lecturers at the University of Upper Nile called off a month-long strike over unpaid salary arrears as the university administration announced Friday that the institution will remain closed until next month, citing the national COVID-19 lockdown.

On January 4, Upper Nile University lecturers downed their tools indefinitely over unpaid salary arrears. But early this month, they agreed to resume lectures on February 8 after government intervention. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Saturday, Prof. Marial Awou, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “The staff has been on strike because we have not been paid for about 8 months now and for all this long, we have been in a negotiation with the government. The government agreed to pay us two months and the lecturers accepted to resume so the lectures were to resume on February 8. However, due to the nation-wide Covid-19 lockdown announced by the government on Tuesday, the university will remain closed.”

The university official, however, pointed out that they will be ready to reopen the institution as soon as the lockdown is lifted.
 
“As a university, we are simply implementing the government order and we started by stopping the non-essential staff from going to the offices since yesterday. On March 3rd when the lockdown is reviewed, it will be clear if the universities will be allowed to operate,” Prof. Marial said.

The students did not receive the government's decision well.

Antony Wani, a third-year university student, condemned the closure of the university as unfortunate, saying the closure will seriously impact their lives. He pleaded with the National COVID -19 Task Force to reconsider its decision on the university.

For his part, Barac Atem Barac, the students’ guild president, urged the government to allow the universities to operate, saying they may be forced to miss out on another year of education.

“At the universities, we are organized. Why would the government close the university when we can observe COVID-19 measures yet bars, markets, and public transport is operating as usual? This lockdown is not good for us,” Atem lamented.

Upper Nile University is one of the five public universities in the country. The other higher learning institutions are the University of Juba, Bahr el Ghazal University, Rumbek University, and the Dr. John Garang University in Bor.

The university had already missed out on one academic year after it was close due to Covid-19 in April last year. It remains to be seen if the government will lift the ban on the universities before or after March 3rd.