By Gladys Fred Kole
Arrival of National Minister of General Education and Instruction in northern Bahr el Ghazal State has flashed a glimmer of hope among teachers in the region.
Awut Deng Achuil arrived in Aweil on Wednesday and was received by the governor of NBGs Tong Akeen Ngor, and some state officials.
According to the minister, her visit aimed at assessing ongoing education projects and to ensure implementation of last year’s education conference resolutions.
The top priority is the issue surrounding the salaries of the teachers.
Speaking to No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, a teacher in the state who chose anonymity said the visit of the national minister of education has brought some hope to most of them, who had already down tools over salary cut.
He said the minister made it clear that the issue of their salary was her top priority by engaging with the standing committee, which was sent from Juba to the state to look into the matter.
These standing committees will be engaging and reporting to the minister.
“She (Awut) said she will not be going back to Juba until she looks into the issue of the salary of teachers in Aweil town, but she didn’t state how long she will be here,” the teacher stated.
He said Minister Awut will be the one to release the salaries according to her, to see who will interfere with the salaries of the teachers, and then after she will move to other institutions.
According to him, ever since the teachers took a step to lay down their tools, up until now they have not resumed work, although schools have reopened.
“Teachers have not resumed teaching; the only teachers at schools are the head teachers and their deputies, but other teachers have not been in their schools since January, when they stated and briefed the media that they were not going to teach. They don’t want their salaries to be cut again,” he echoed.
Teachers in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state haven’t received their salaries since August last year and are hoping to receive their August salary soon, but they are not sure about the months from September up to this month’s salaries.
“Yes, the salaries will be paid correctly, because that’s the minister’s first priority in coming here, particularly the issue of our salary, so we hope it will be released soon, but we are not sure after she returns if the salaries for the other months will not be cut again,” he expressed.
The dissatisfied teacher believes that they are going to be paid their August salary fully without any deduction, but he remains skeptical about the September pay.
He, however, urged the government to look into the issue surrounding the cutting of their salary, closely expressing gratitude regarding the minister’s visit.
Earlier this year, 27 teachers in NBGS were arrested and detained in a security facility in Aweil, after staging a protest against a salary dispute with the state ministry of finance.
The incident unfolded after the government teachers raised concerns about salary variations, comparing their pay slips with those of colleagues from Warrap State.