East Darfur education workers demand reversal of ‘arbitrary’ salary deduction

Employees of the Ministry of Education in East Darfur have refused the deduction of SDG 100 (*$3.55) from their salaries and demanded immediate restoration of the amounts deducted.

The education workers in the state said in a letter addressed to the concerned authorities that the amount was deducted, without any right and without recourse to the concerned parties, from their salaries by the office of accounts at the Ministry of Finance under the signature of the director of the board of accounts without their knowledge on April 18.

The letter said that the large deductions at the expense of salaries such as the teacher's hospital and tower and support of students, education, women's union, the University of Ed Daein and others have eroded their salaries so that they are not enough to even cover the necessary needs for life.

The workers demanded cancellation of the decision and restoration of what was deducted.

Cost of living

The cost of living for a family of five persons in Sudan has risen to SDG 13,000 (*$460) per month, according to a study published by the Sudanese Communist Party in April.

This amount does not include important needs such as the maintenance of the house, telephones, education, entertainment, or social courtesies.

Between October 2017 and January 2018, the costs of living increased with more than SDG 4,000 (15.7 per cent), while the minimum salary is still set at SDG 425.

* Based on the indicative US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)