Teachers threatened with school closures over unpaid wages

South Sudan’s Education Minister Awut Deng Achuil has warned that schools across the country will close due to continued wage arrears.

Deputy Information Minister Jacob Maiju said on Friday that Minister Awut raised the concerns at a meeting of the Council of Ministers and warned that public schools across the country could be closed if the issue of unpaid salaries was not resolved.

She also expressed concern about the results of the last exams and the new finance minister promised to find a solution as it was an obligation to ensure that children did not drop out of school.

“The new finance minister will take the initiative to take responsibility for resolving the issue of teachers’ salaries after the budget is presented to the cabinet and approved,” Maiju said.

He said the Cabinet wanted to revisit the new budget for 2024/25 which was rejected due to amendments.

“We were expecting to present the budget today (Friday), but due to changes in the finance ministry, with the new minister being sworn in today, we are expecting it to be presented next Friday. We will then review and pass the budget,” he said.

Thursday, Kiir fires finance minister Daniel Chuang He has been in office for only four months and is the sixth successor since 2020.

South Sudan’s economy has come under pressure in recent years, with revenues from crude exports falling since the 2013-2018 conflict and more recently interrupted by war in neighbouring Sudan.

President Salva Kiir acknowledged on Friday that civil servants and soldiers had not been paid for nine months and blamed it on mismanagement of non-oil revenues.

Professionals earning between $10 and $50 a month, such as teachers and doctors, have also experienced long payment delays.

The parties have only been able to partially implement a restored peace deal reached in 2018 that brought together the government and the former armed opposition.

The consequences of the country’s civil war continue, with approximately 9 million people out of a population of 12.5 million in need of protection and humanitarian assistance.

On Independence Day, President Salva Kiir called on citizens to unite and work to promote economic growth.