Map of Upper Nile State. (Courtesy).

At least 38 teachers previously contracted by Melut County in Upper Nile State have filed a lawsuit in Juba to demand their two-month salary arrears and other benefits after they were fired for alleged misconduct.

The dozens of teaching staff allege they were unilaterally dismissed from their positions without prior notice and are owed salary arrears for October 2022 and February 2024.

The 100 teachers were hired in 2022 to work in primary and secondary schools across Melut County, with each teacher receiving a monthly salary of $500.

According to the former teaching staff who spoke to Eye Radio, the county education department terminated their contracts on allegations of misconduct without offering formal notification or explanation.

The teachers opened a case at Juba High Court to force the county authorities to address their claims of unpaid wages and provide clarification regarding the grounds for their dismissal.

Mr. Among Pio Bol, one of the dismissed teachers, said they signed contracts renewal in 2023 and were supposed to extend through 2024. However, he said after returning from a holiday in February, they discovered they had been dismissed, allegedly on grounds of misconduct.

He added that each teacher was earning $500 per month, and they are seeking transparency from the county’s education department regarding the outstanding payments and benefits owed.

“We came for holiday, and we were thinking that we would be second, but so one time, we found ourselves as we have been terminated,” he said.

“They said ‘you 38 teachers, you are no longer with us. Most of you are now misbehaving.’ Then we said yes, someone can be terminated, but we are demanding our arrears.”

“We have one-month arrears, and we have been demanding our benefits. The pension for a teacher is five hundred USD in a month. I mean when I think exactly what.”

Another teacher named Lual Mareng Deng narrated that the incident started when 42 teachers were stranded in Juba before they were subsequently dismissed without formal notice or payment of their dues. He said four of them were later taken back.

Mareng stated that the County Education Director decided to replace the rest, including him, with locally recruited technicians, before they were told their services were no longer needed.

He said they accepted the dismissal and are demanding their unpaid salary arrears. But, according to him, they were told that the payments could not be processed due to financial issues related to oil production in the area.

“In 2024, we came back to Juba for our holiday, and when we asked them to go back, they said their tickets are not enough for all of you, for your number all. When the number 42 remained, they said we were going to prefer the tickets,” he narrated.”

“We spent one month without tickets. They told us that you have been dismissed there from Malut because we are not able to get a ticket. In the end, the county director for education said he doesn’t want people who remained in Juba.”

“We started asking them about our arrears. We welcomed the decision, and we said, OK, can you give us our arrears? They said, Yes, they are not to be given to you now because the oil production from the country is not functioning.”

Eye Radio contacted the County Education Director, Zakira Wai Akol, several times for comment, but he declined to give a statement, saying he was at a social event.

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