Lakes State Education Minister Daniel Ayual Makoi. [© Gurtong]
By Manyang Mayom
RUMBEK, 14 August 2010 (Gurtong) - The schools were shut down over a long standing teachers’ salaries dispute with the state government.
Prior to the closures, the pupils had engaged in violent demonstrations that led to destruction of school property, including a generator that was donated to one of the schools by the Government of Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit during his pre- election campaigns in Rumbek in April.
The Lakes State Education Minister Daniel Ayual Makoi told the press on Tuesday that the standoff over teachers’ pay has been solved and asked teachers to report back to work.
The Minister, did not however, clarify how the dispute had been solved.
He said the teachers’ grievances were being looked at by both the state government and the Government of Southern Sudan.
“I know that the teachers are angry because they think we have forgotten about them. I want to assure them that all is under control”, said Makoi.
He affirmed that his main objective is to see an improvement in the quality of education in the state through improvement of infrastructure and better pay for teachers.
Last month, six primary schools in Rumbek Central County and one primary school in Rumbek East County were indefinitely closed after the pupils went on strike to demand for teachers who had downed their tools over poor pay.