Jonglei State Teachers’ Union (JSTU) is urging the government and the National Ministry of Finance and Planning to pay overdue salaries for March, April, and May 2025.
In a statement dated June 2, 2025, the Union noted that salaries for the mentioned months have not been paid, despite government announcement that funds have been disbursed.
The teachers warn that if the salaries are not settled soon, they may strike., disrupting the educational process.
“Jonglei State Teachers’ Union (JSTU) writes on behalf of Teachers to urgently request National Ministry of Finance & Planning (NMoGEI) to immediately disburse outstanding salaries for March, April, and May 2025,” the statement partly read.
“The matter is of utmost importance to prevent a possible strike that could disrupt educational activities across the state after the given ultimatum by teachers”, it added.
The delay in salary payments has created financial difficulties for teachers, affecting their ability to work effectively.
“As schools have reopened, it is crucial that teachers receive their due compensation promptly to ensure they can focus on delivering quality education to our children,” it read.
The Union has set a deadline for the government to address their demands from June 2 to June 4, 2025, warning that failure to respond could lead to a strike.
“Failure to address this will result in a definite strike by teachers, which union hopes to avoid through payment efforts”, the statement read. “Respecting teachers’ rights is synonymous with respecting children’s right to education.”
Late last Month, the government announced the disbursement of salary arrears for all civil servants.
However, human rights activist and Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), Ter Manyang Gatwech, criticized the government for publicly announcing routine salary payments.
He stated that these announcements create anxiety and distract from deeper governance issues.
In a statement, Gatwech explained that families expect these payments to cover essential expenses like school fees and medical bills. However, civil servants typically receive only 50,000 to 100,000 South Sudanese pounds, which is insufficient, especially for larger families.
Also, some officails claimed the government continues to announce salary payments for civil servants and organized forces, despite a lack of cash in the bank, a statement that bank officials have denied.
