‘Disappointing’ stalemate as Sudan teachers’ strike continues

The Sudanese Teachers Committee (STC) decided to continue with the comprehensive strike and closure of schools for a period of three weeks, from January 8 until January 28. In a press statement on Friday, the Teachers Strike Committee also stated they met with Jibril Ibrahim*, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, to discuss their demands the day before.

“The outcome [of the meeting] was disappointing and reflects the disregard of the elites who have the opportunity to serve in decision-making positions, even if they are advocates of supporting the marginalised and the downtrodden,” the statement read.

The STC further announced that they will organise a protest march to the Ministry of Finance in Khartoum in the coming days.

In a statement following the STC’s meeting with the finance minister, the Undersecretary of the federal Ministry of Education said that “the minister rejected their request to increase the minimum wage this year”, but “referred to a nine per cent increase in spending on education in the total of the 2023 budget”.

However, the ministry sated their refusal in paying the three-month differences in allowances to the teachers, “because these differences were not paid to any staff of any government institution”.

As well as the refused three-month shortfall, the clothing allowance, which is another point of contention for the STC, is to be disbursed in all states except for Khartoum.

Ibrahim further promised to form a committee to consider and amend the fixed value allowances.

*Minister Ibrahim is also head of the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), one of the movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government in October 2020. He was appointed Minister of Finance the following year, however, while almost all other members of the Council of Ministers resigned after the military coup d’état in October 2021, Ibrahim kept his position.