By Ephraim Modi Duku Sokiri
Following a statement shared by the university’s Vice Chancellor Prof. John Akec on Wednesday, the members of Deans’ Board and representatives of the University of Juba (UoJ) has issued fourteen days to clear off the new salary structure of the lecturers.
This follows a meeting held by the Extended Senate of the university, including representatives of the working women’s Association to deliberate on the delayed implementation of the approved new salary structure for all public universities.
The meeting alluded on the resolution passed by the Minister of Finance and Planning to still pay higher public education facilities the old salary for the months of February through June.
“The offer made by the Minister of Finance and Planning to pay the universities the old salary from February 2023 to June 2023 and pay the differences between the old and the new pays for these months is not good enough,” the statement read.
“The Minister of Finance and Planning is given two weeks (from April 12thto April 26th, 2023) to pay the approved new salary structure from the months of February and march 2023 to the university.”
They further demanded that the finance ministry should agree with the university on the modalities of paying the areas of July 2022 to January 2023.
A week ago, all public university lecturers threatened to go on strike over the payment of improved two years salaries arrears.
A day later, after the public universities’ students strike threats, President Salva Kiir allotted a directive to the Minister of Finance to pay off February, March salaries arrears and air tickets allowances to teaching staff at the country’s public universities.
Meanwhile the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Gabriel Changson Chang last week confirmed to No.1 Citizen that the lecturers were to receive their adjusted budget by Tuesday this week after the Easter holidays.
Issues of salary payment to all sectors of public services has remained hanging with claims of lack of funds by the government. Yet Citizens cry of heavy taxes levied on them by the government.
Education is the only guarantee to a sustainable development in the country and yet a generation of children in South Sudan is being deprived of a fair chance in life with more than 2.8 million children, or over 70 per cent, are out of school in South Sudan, putting at risk their future and the future of the country.