A file picture of a teacher in South Sudan. (File photo/courtesy).

The government of Western Equatoria State has resolved to increase the salaries of primary and secondary school teachers under its jurisdiction.

Schools across the country reopened on Monday after a year of shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There are approximately 3,000 school teachers on the government payroll across the state.

Governor Alfred Futuyo says each teacher will from now on receive 10,000 South Sudanese Pounds.

This is a major boost from the 1,500 pounds that the teachers had been receiving monthly.

According to Governor Futuyo, the increment will encourage teachers to exert more efforts towards offering quality education to schoolchildren.

“We found out that we in Western Equatoria have a capacity of rising our local revenue and pay the teachers,” William Adriano Baiki, state information minister, confirmed to Eye Radio.

The budget is expected to be supported by teak sales and other revenues.

In South Sudan, teaching is deemed to be one of the least paying jobs.

Some teachers have often complained on Eye Radio that they receive less than $5 per month. This money, however, is not paid on time.

Teachers, like other public servants, stay for up to four to six months without their dues, and when they do, they are paid a month’s worth of arrears.

Despite the current economic situation in the country, the government has not adjusted teachers’ salaries, with the Education sector allocated just 6 percent of the national budget in the financial year 2019/2020.

These conditions have forced the majority of the teaching professionals to abandon their posts and joined non-governmental organizations.