In June, dozens of primary and secondary school teachers were detained after they staged a peaceful protest at the state parliament.

The teachers claimed the government had accumulated their arrears for nearly a year but were however demanding this year’s arrears.

Following the salary strike, the teaching staff was allegedly arrested and detained at a military facility.

Most of them were later released, leaving six men in detention.

Martin Tako, the Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction says they have addressed the issue following the visit of minister Awut Deng Acuil to the State last week.

He asserted that the six teachers who were kept in detention after the release of the rest, are neither employees of the national ministry nor the state ministry of general education and instruction.

Tako adds that the detainees are not real teachers because he says they are not reflected in their list.

“We have already addressed this issue, the honorable minister Awut Deng Acuil was personally in Rumbek, she met the authorities there and the issue was resolved,” said Tako.

“These teachers were arrested, and the real teachers were released but the people kept are not actually teachers, they are not on our list. They were not employed by the ministry of general education at the state level or at the national level.”

He underscored that the real teachers were freed but said those still in detention are criminals.

“The teachers were freed, the real teachers. They went on strike or what happened, they demanded their rights and the governor intervened and released,”

“The people who were kept until the minister went there are actually criminals,

“They are not really teachers, they are not on our list. If somebody calls himself a teacher, not employed by the state nor by the central government.”

For his part, one of the Senior Teachers in Rumbek identified as Adija Majot Maring of Thuvi Kdukal Primary School refutes the claims of the deputy minister.

Majot said his colleagues are teachers registered with the government.

He appeals to the national government to intervene to ensure the release of his colleagues from detention.

“What the ministry is saying is totally wrong, they are trying to dodge this issue. All of them are payable teachers in the ministry,” said Majot.

“Otherwise, if the national government intervenes to come and check the pay sheet, their names are there in the paysheet. The State government will not listen to us, this is what I know so far,

“I am appealing to the national government to intervene in this case so that our colleagues are released as teachers. We will not surrender our rights because of that,

“We are still requesting them even though we are detained one hundred times, we will not give up on this issue.”

Last week, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization in Rumbek said the teachers who have been transferred to Rumbek main prison are former inspectors and headmasters.