A street in Tambura County, Western Equatoria State [Photo credit: The New Humanitarian]

Two teachers collapsed while teaching at Renzi Primary School in Tambura County on Monday due to severe hunger, the Western Equatoria State Minister of Education has said.

In a statement to the media, Grace Apollo Musa, said that the two teachers fainted midway through their lessons after reporting to school without having eaten for a day.

According to the official, the teachers, government employees, have not received their salaries for over one year and five months.

She explained that although the government transferred their salaries, teachers have been unable to withdraw the money because local banks say they have no cash.

“We had accident with that took place the day before yesterday in Tombura whereby two teachers were teaching in the class and they fell down conscious due to hunger problem. And it is true that our teachers are suffering,” said Musa.

She added that the affected teachers were taken to a hospital where they were diagnosed with severe malnutrition.

Musa, who spoke from Yambio town, said she has made efforts to ensure teachers access their pay, but has been unsuccessful.

“We can hear that money is there in the bank, but when you go to the bank, the bank manager will tell you there’s no money in the bank,” she added.

The minister further said that without salaries, teachers in remote areas like Tambura struggle to find food or meet basic needs.

“Teachers are human beings but if they don’t have anything to eat, especially in Tombura, whereby they don’t have a way of getting access to get food. They depend on the small amount that they are receiving. Like now teachers have gone over one year and 5 months without salary,” she said.

She called on the national government and financial institutions to urgently address the issue so that teachers can continue delivering quality education.