Students of the University of Juba on Wednesday called on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to clear outstanding salaries of their lecturers before they opt to go on strike.
The lectures like their colleagues at the Rumbek University of Science and Technology are demanding salaries for the months of February and March respectively.
The University of Juba lecturers have given the government a six-day ultimatum, according to a resolution passed by Dean’s Board at the extraordinary meeting held on April 4.
Mangar Mapep Lual, a third-year student of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Juba called on the government to immediately address the grievances of lecturers.
“The government should look into this issue as soon as possible because we don’t want our lectures to be suspended and academic circular changed,” Mangar said.
He said the suspension of lectures will disrupt their academic year calendar.
“It is the role of the government to give services to our lecturers so that they can give services to us the students,” Mangar said.
Another third-year student of medicine, whose name is withheld for security reasons, said the financial challenges faced by the lecturers affect them as well and undermine the quality of education.
“If this thing happened again it will extend our time and it will lead us to next year, which means we will be having an extension of the time and that will affect us and our calendar,” he said.
He urged the government to release funds to pay at least two months of the salaries owed to lecturers.
“The staff, lecturers and professors of the University of Juba should be paid so that the lectures go on uninterrupted,” he said.
Academic and non-academic staff of Rumbek University of Science and Technology went on strike on Wednesday demanding their arrears for two months.
On 2 April 2023, employees of the University of Bahr El Ghazal threatened to boycott work due to non-payment of two months’ salary arrears.
This is not the first time academic and non-teaching staff within the five public universities are going on strike over pay.
