A teacher teaches his class in South Sudan | Credit | File photo

Hundreds of teachers in Jonglei have staged a peaceful protest in the state’s capital, Bor, to demand immediate payment of their motivational cash.

The nearly 300 tutors want their cash transfers from the European Union-funded project.

Since October 2019, school teachers in Bor town have been complaining about alleged mismanagement of the EU-Impact incentives by the state authorities.

They claim that their six-month incentives worth 13,105,000 South Sudanese Pounds was wired into the account of the state Ministry of Finance in March, but has not been given to them.

In response, the Jonglei State Ministry of Finance admitted to receiving the money but said it had spent it on other priorities.

The then government under governor Maker Thiong promised to refund the money to the teachers.

It later claimed a sum of 4.3 million pounds was paid back, whereas the remaining balance would be cleared before December 2019.

But the teachers say the amount covers for only six months of unpaid arrears from 2018.

“The teachers are saying from July up to now, they have not received anything,” said Ateny Jacob, an official at the state Teachers’ Union.

Jonglei Teachers’ Committee stated that the teachers haven’t received an equivalent of 12 months’ incentives for 2019 and 2020.

On Monday morning, the teachers held a demonstration in Bor town to pressure the authorities to clear the arrears.

Jacob added that the state authorities led by the secretary general will speak to the teachers on Tuesday.

The EU Teachers’ Incentives project was initiated after the Ministry of Education confirmed that teachers were leaving the profession due to low pay of about 2,000 pounds.

The funds are expected to increase attendance of 30,000 teachers across the country, improve standards of teaching and encourage the teaching profession.

As per the project, each teacher is entitled to receive £40 per month as motivation.