Rose John Galio a Class mistress for senior three at Shining Star Secondary School in Juba writing on blackboard on Tue, 4th Oct 2022. (Photo credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio)

Some public-school teachers appeal to the country’s education authorities to prioritize their welfare in order to deliver quality education.

On Wednesday, October 5, South Sudan marked World Teachers Day, which celebrates the work of teachers across the globe.

The day is to remember how teachers transform societies through education and to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talents and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession.

Some of the teachers who also spoke to Eye Radio call on the government to improve their salaries and working conditions.

“Basically, we have government schools and private schools and we know the condition these teachers are facing especially from government schools,” said 26-year-old Kamal Abraham, a teacher at Shining Star Basic School in Juba.

“Low salary and sometimes long distance and insecurity. The working environment is not favoring some of the teachers and government should intervene.”

“We need to come into solidarity as teachers in ensuring that the service we deliver to the learners should be of great positivity and let us not give up though we have challenges as teachers, let us try to push this country into greater height,” Guya Smauel, a teacher also said.

Rose John Galio, a class mistress of senior three students at the Shining Star Academy, a Juba-based private school, has echoed similar concerns.

“Teachers need to get support from government. Teachers need to be seen as somebody who is important than the rest of the things because education in every country is a key to our lives.”

“So, if education is a key to our lives, we don’t need to play with our keys. We need to protect the teachers and give them our support in order to encourage them to work for the betterment of the country.”

The global theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day 2022 is “the transformation of education begins with teachers”.