School Teachers Embark on Strike in Sudan

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee (STC), has embarked on strike, less than two weeks after announcing a breakthrough in talks with the authorities.

STC spokesperson, Sami El Bager said teachers are now on strike to protest the delay in the payment of their salaries of January and February.

He said a number of teachers received their dues only by mid-March while others did not and this is unacceptable. Teachers and their families are unable to pay necessary bills due to owed wages.

El Bager added that the Finance Ministry ignored what was agreed upon with the special committee formed by the Sovereign Council regarding the rights of teachers.

He called on the Ministry of Finance to adhere to what was agreed upon, so that teachers do not have to enter into another confrontation.

In March last year, the STC announced a partial strike in all states of Sudan as the Finance Ministry did not meet their demands for a raise of the minimum wage and a reform of the salary structure, payment of delayed salaries and allowances and a better work environment.

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When talks with the Finance Minister reached a dead end in mid-December, the Committee called on all teachers to close the primary, middle and secondary government schools in the country from January 8 until January 28.

A month into the strike, the head of the Sudanese branch of the El Gadiriya Sufi sect, Sheikh El Reyeh Azrag Teiba and a number of politicians proposed to mediate between the teachers and the authorities.

After a special mediation committee was formed by the Sovereignty Council, Finance Minister, Jibril Ibrahim responded with a promise to pay the delayed dues by February 12 but could not commit to increase the minimum wage.

However, the ministry failed to meet its pledge by that date which prompted teachers to doubt the sincerity of the ministry’s commitments, pushing some to label them as political fraud.

In late February, the STC announced a temporary strike suspension to support continued negotiation efforts. The suspension was extended in mid-March in a sign of goodwill and announced strike again at the beginning of April.