23 teachers arrested in Bor, 11 others terminated
4 min readBy Mach Samuel Peter, Bor, Jonglei State, South Sudan
December 1, 2016 (SSB) —- The ministry of education through a board of directors has terminated 11 teachers and ordered for 23 more to appear before the court in a couple of days with ministry’s legal advisor. The director general said the police will investigate the teachers. He is also not sure of how long the teachers will be in cell.
The arrested 23 teachers are accused of snatching the timetable from the examination centers across the schools, threatening the government with plan B which is not clear to date, lack of ethics of teaching profession by this group of teachers and unlawful strike that went on for two months.
On the 4th of October 11 teachers were terminated for leading a strike demanding that salary increment be effective in February 2016 salary and paid in arrears, permanent appointment, promotion of teachers who have been in one grade for 15 years and over, payment of phase two and phase three effective 25th July 2016 salaries and inclusion of both cost of living and computer allowances.
“The strike is illegal and unlawful because it has exceeded a week said the minister,”
The minister for education Hon. Suzan Lith Aluong Kang claimed, she has held 8 meetings with the teachers jointly with the stakeholders such as members of parliament of the concern constituencies, labour and public service, acting governor, the security organs etc to convince teachers that the salary has been increased in figures but the actual budget is yet to be released.
The 11 teachers’ representative who addressed a petition letter to the governor of Jonglei state copied to Rt. Honorable speaker, ministers, directorate of secondary and primary education were the first to be terminated. However, 11 teachers have been given temporarily appointment (voluntary) to replace the disposed.
South Sudan national ministry of labour, public service and human resource development office of the undersecretary of Public service and human resources development addressed a letter to the first under secretary of the South Sudan national ministry of finance and economic planning tabling the approve multiplied, designed new salary structure and average costing sheet based on the three phases.
The minister agrees that she is aware of two circulars issued by the national government addressing the increment of teacher’s salary from grade 17 to grade 1. The circular also increase super grade salary from 1663 to 10,650 SSP.
6 schools within Bor County have not been operational for two months something the minister said has not affected the entire state of Jonglei but according to the teachers, the strike is all over the state. The minister said increment of teachers’ salary cannot be addressed by the government of Jonglei state.
She said the government will unify that increment of teachers from grade 17-10 by 300%, grade 9-5 by 270% and grade 4-1 by 240%.
The letter revealed that 2016/2017 average costing sheet for the unified new pay scales of the civil service employees of the republic of South Sudan in South Sudanese pounds with effect from first February 2016, it increases the salary of grade 17 teachers to 979 SSP and 1776 SSP for common grade 12 teachers who are being paid 600 SSP currently.
When ask either she can reconsider termination of 11 teachers to be redeploy in case they drop the strike, minister argue that those terminated will never get back to class. Meanwhile those who have been jailed can be released if they happened to drop the strike eventually. Teachers were not reachable for comments because they are in jail.
Mach Samuel is reachable via machsamuuelpeter@gmail.com
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