The Minister for Higher Education, Dr Peter Adwok Nyaba has called for more patience from public university lecturers, who have been on strike for three weeks now.

The lecturers from the five public universities across the country say they want to be paid salaries and arrears before resuming teaching.

Dr Adwok says he discussed this matter with the President and the Minister of Finance recently.

He told Eye Radio that the call for patience was a message from the President.

“The situation we are in is little a bit embarrassing but you have to be patient,” Dr Adwok, who is in his second month in office, said.

Dr Adwok also said the teaching staff should sympathize with the economic crisis the country is going through.

The higher learning institutions affected by the strike are: the University of Juba, University of Bahr al-Ghazal, University of Rumbek, University of Upper Nile and Dr John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology.