27 public school teachers in Bor, Jonglei, have been arrested for interrupting plans of the ministry, the state Minister of Education has said.

But one of the teachers says his colleagues were arrested over a pay strike in demand for promotions and pay rise.

In October, teachers went on strike, demanding that the ministry gives them promotions and a pay rise in line with a circular which they said they obtained from the national ministry of public.

They say some of their colleagues were dismissed due to the strike. And in November, they went on strike again, demanding the reinstatement of those dismissed.

A school teacher, Wai Bol Garang, says the arrests started Thursday when they tried to talk to the minister.

“When we tried to talk to honorable minister, she failed to respond to our problems,” Mr Bol told Eye Radio, adding that those arrested are more than 100.

The State Minister of Education, Susan Lith Aluong, said those arrested had interrupted the examination process.

She told Eye Radio that the ministry issued a letter for arrests after the striking teachers began removing timetables on the notice boards.

“We were in a meeting for an arrangement of the examinations centers but they hijacked…the meeting,” she explained. “Through the ministry, we wrote the letter of arrest.”

Ms Lith added that the tests will be given on Monday. The teachers are from public primary and secondary schools.