Juba University threatens to shut down over staff salary arrears  

JUBA, MARCH 5, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The administration of the University of Juba on Wednesday threatened to close the country’s highest learning institution should the government fail to pay the salary arrears of its tutors.

The lecturers demanding salary arrears of two months have given the Ministry of Finance and Planning six-day ultimatums, according to a resolution passed by Dean’s Board at the extraordinary meeting held on April 4.

“The Dean’s Board resolved to advise the administration of the University of Juba to suspend all learning activities should the Ministry of Finance and Planning fail to pay the salaries for the months of February and March 2023, by April 10, based on the adjusted unified salary structure for public institutions of higher learning,” it said.

A third-year student of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Juba, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, said the suspension of lectures will disrupt their academic year calendar.

“The government should look into this issue as soon as possible because we don’t want our lectures to be suspended and academic circular change,” said Mangar.

Another student of medicine called on the government to release funds to pay at least two months of the salaries owed to lecturers.

“The staff, lecturers, and professors of the University of Juba should be paid so that the lecturers should go on as normal,” he said.

The public universities have continued to down tools over the delayed payment of salaries and the failure of the Ministry of Finance to release the funds on time.

On 2 April 2023, employees of the University of Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan threatened to boycott work due to non-payment of two months’ salary arrears.