Rumbek University Lecturers in South Sudan Threaten Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

Rumbek University lecturers in South Sudan have issued a warning of an impending strike due to unpaid salaries.

The lecturers claim they are owed two months of arrears based on the altered compensation structure, and have demanded immediate payment in a letter signed by Samuel Mabor Alit, Chairman of the Rumbek University Academic Staff Association.

The letter also requested payment of ticket allowance arrears from the fiscal years ending in July 2019 to July 2022.

According to a portion of the letter obtained by Radio Tamazuj, if the Ministry of Finance and Planning fails to implement the Council of Ministers resolution, the Academic Staff of Rumbek University of Science and Technology will go on an indefinite strike beginning on April 4th, 2023.

Mathew Malou Mariec, the university’s Academic Registrar, confirmed that the university is requesting two months of wage arrears from the finance ministry.

He added that during the Rumbek University Academic Staff Association meeting on Wednesday, the academic staff demanded quick payment of the two months’ new adjusted salary based on the council of ministers’ decisions from February to March 2023, as well as the payment of ticket allowance arrears from July 2019 to July 2022 fiscal year budgets.

The National Ministry of Higher Education could not be contacted for comment immediately.

Rumbek University is a public university in South Sudan, alongside other institutions such as the University of Bahr el Ghazal, the University of Juba, Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, and Upper Nile University.