Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
By John Actually
March 15, 2011 (BOR) – Amid the continuing primary school teacher strikes over housing allowances, that has lasted for four weeks, governor Kuol has ordered teacher representatives of the three counties, Twic East, Bor and Duk to reopen schools within 48 hours after a meeting, that failed to convince the teachers to resume their normal duties.
Delegated by the governor to address the press, Mayen Ohka said the teachers will be considered to having resigned if they do not open schools within the given timeframe.
“Today, the governor took the initiative to call the teachers’ representatives of the three counties of Bor, Twice east and Duk. After rejecting our request to resume their duties, we ordered them to reopen schools within 48 hours. We expect the report to reach the governor on Friday, 18 March”, said Mayen.
“If they don’t open schools within these hours, we will consider them to have resigned”, he continued.
In reference to the resolutions passed by the council of ministers on 2 February, all the state civil servants were to be paid housing allowances including the teachers, primary teachers across Jonglei. They went on strike on 21 February, over housing allowances and closed the schools.
The council of ministers formed a committee chaired by minister of local government, Diing Akol on 22 February said that it would persuade the teachers to resume their duties with promises of paying them later, but no agreement was reached.
On 7 March, finance minister told reporters that the council of ministers has reversed their decision by suspending housing allowances that were approved due to great financial deficit in the state. Although he promised to pay teachers’ allowances, he failed to mention how soon the payment was expected.
Jonglei Legislative Assembly (JLA) summoned education minister, Stephen Par Kuol on 14 March, to address the parliament on the on-going teacher strike Kuol said he would not satisfy the house in his capacity as the minister since the issue lay in the hands of council of ministers.
Kuol told the assembly that he had presented the memo to the council of ministers, which recognised and accepted the accommodation allowances payable to teachers in the form of arrears, but condemned the manner in which the teachers presented their grievances.
Addressing the parliament, Kuol admitted that teachers are the most underpaid professional workers, adding that they are not only eligible for accommodation allowances but also a pay raise. A grade 12 teacher receives a salary of approximately SDG300 (US$100) per month.
“Please Speaker and honourable members, allow me to tell you that our teachers are the most underpaid for the work they do. Their noble profession as technicians of human resource development has subjected them to abject poverty where the budget allocated to education is always less than a fraction of the total budget of GoSS”, he said.
Kuol said his ministry always received 80 percent of their budget from GoSS in form of a“conditional grant” and the state is unable to top it up due to a lack of internal revenues, forcing the council of ministers in their last sitting to suspend housing allowances to all civil employees until a permanent source of revenue is secured to pay them.
Kuol also said efforts are being exerted to get line ministries in GoSS these badly needed funds sooner than later.
In separate interviews on 14 March, the speaker of legislative assembly, Peter Chol Wall, told Sudan Tribune that the house will summon more ministers to answer the house on pending issues including the budget that has created chaos in the state.
The speaker blamed the minister of finance, Aquila Maluth Mam for not warning the state council of ministers of the deficit in the budget when they sat to approve the release of housing allowances, the source of current problems.
Meanwhile the representatives of the teachers told Sudan Tribune they will not open schools till they are paid.
Malueth John Aluong, one of the representatives said the discussion was intimating and that they would not reopen the schools, even if they are forced to resign.
“We will not open schools as he said. What we want is to be assured that we will be paid on this date. We are not militants. If it would mean termination, so be it”. Aluong said.
Another representative, identified as Abraham Kiir said the government has been dragging its feet in solving the problems saying that the firing of over 800 teachers will be an additional burden to the state, adding that the state will find it difficult to replace them.
(ST)
Historical Boy!
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Kuol manyang is a failed governor in the rotten jonglei state.
Acid
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
The last thing Gov. Kuol wants to do is force teachers out of their interests. Those teachers can find jobs anywhere but kids will be badly affected.
thieleling
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Dear Readers,
Kuol rules Jongulei people with his made up self-righteous jungle laws. Kuol barely understands what it means to be democratic. That’s why he ONLY gave ultimatum instead of a negotiated pay compromise to those poor teachers of Jongulei.
The dictator governor Kuol’s days are numbered in that state.
Disorder or chaos breeds disorder or chaos. Jongulei is in the state of chaos created by the unlawful governor, Kuol.
The truth is that, it is ONLY a calm before the storm in jongulei. And that storm would be in the form of violence Tsunami or genocide to be specifific. Kuol is responsible for the chaos and disorder in Jongulei state that leads to the upcoming genocide in Jongulei.
Now, south sudan will be plunge to messy violence against itself by few unlawful, undemocratic, tribalists and poor thinkers like Kuol, beginning with innocent poor civilians in Jongulei
Dito
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
I agree with those who condemn kuol because a force without a defined term of agreement on when to pay the teachers is irresponsible.
Teachers are the future of any progressing nation and as such underpaying them and threaten them with force or resignation is a bad mean of approaching problems.
Kuol must forget of his guerilla mentality because we are in the edge of a modern progress which need positive and critical solution to any problem.
Just use your senses and give a timeframe in which the government think they would be able to pay the teachers their due.
We know the resources of getting the wealths are limited but that does not mean victimizing the teachers.
Do something kuol or else expect the backlash!
Madingthith
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Dear Readers,
I am very sorry for the fake and worse intimidation that the failed governor Kuol Manyang imposed on teachers to reopened schools after 48 hours. I actually agree with one of the teachers, representatives by saying ” they do not reopened schools even if the governor forced them to resigned” they accepted to resigned. Hey Kuol imagine 800 teachers being resigned at the same time have create huge vacuum in your state and will later on join Athor and back to interupt you in the state of Jonglei.
As matter of facts, you rather resigned instead of forcing 800 teachers to resigned and leave our poor and innocent children without teachers teaching them,, hell on you failed Governor TODAY I realized why Athor took arms against you it is because you grab power of yourself not people of Jonglei to be serve and cater their rights for them equally.
Kuol Manyang, the hunger of 21 years in war could not be relieved and eradicated by only five years in which you spent in power. death on you kuol you really messed Jonglei state to the worst of all.
Almighty God may help all the children whom have been denied their rights to education by forcing their teachers to resigned. Kuol remember one more thing,, TEACHERS are fit everwhere in South Sudan to work leave alone teaching in Jonglei and its Counties.
I appeal to all teachers representatives in various counties of Jonglei to keep on with their strongheaded decision……
Teachers profession OOOOYEYEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
onlysonmabi
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Hi my people why do you blame Governor Kuol Manyang the man did when to school he was joint machenic as a primary four leaver.
second to that he has no child among thoes school as they took thier children outside Sudan
Liberator
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Dear Kuol Manyang
Although, I don’t think you’re the right person for that executive Job and despised you as a person. I do however, would like to give you a bit of brotherly advice advice; Please go to South Sudan center for statics website. In there you will find the ugly truth of South Sudan education standard. especially the illiteracy rate among our people, which is understandably huge.
But by threatening teachers to go to work or else is inexcusable. Jonglei state has the highest illiteracy rate in almost every category in term of the education level unrivaled by any state in the South.
So please teachers are the most invaluable human capital for our young Nation, if you fire them to bring in educators from outside our borders, will be even more
expensive than if the state keeps the indigenous educators.
Please negotiate in good faith with your state educators.
is not they are asking six figured range that are being paid to ineffective ministries.
redarmy
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Oh, am not happy with the mr.governor speech plus mayen oka talk. my dear, leaders of jonglei do you really understand the rights of your people you are leading today.people offer their life druing the war for the sack of their kids to live in better lives to get good services like education, hospitals and clinic which are well equips but now no once care about all these, poeple are dying like thing in the hospital, no medince. we shall blame him who brougt that guy up like that and do not waste your time to talk to coward person like mayen oka who have no contribution to the movement.
Wise Chosen One
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
TO governor of Jonglei State. Mr governor I will start with questions that I need an answers from you but to think of not to put them on the net. what got into you? You are behaving strange to the very people that you should be keenly looking into their problems I meant the teachers. Have you ever think of eradication of illiteracy in Jonglei Stae? Have you forgotten that forceful orders are in the army? Use peaceful orders. Now that you have put down your orders, is this the rightful paying back what is rightfully belong to the people of Jonglei State by not listening to their views? I am not a Teacher in Jonglei State and what you are doing is totally out of nowhere. I have nothing to tell teachers because they are claiming for their rights and right to educate the students in Jonglei. Look at these students from Jonglei State the sons and daughters of the late brave warriors that you know. Have you forgotten just yesterday the vote you in and so many complain about your leadership from the very beginning. I do not want to mention what you have not done but the question is Have you ever asked yourself of how many good things have you ever did to these people of Jonglei? I would like to acknowledge your so call advisers and I don’t know them and I do not want to know them either because together with you will make this respectful state a failed state and their image is clear in your orders and if they were not there where were they? And if they are not there why don’t you have them. Remember you have no force or so call power without these very people. The teachers who are youth together with youth students are the majority for your information.
Have you ever sit down or put their grievances into consideration by calculating this Salary they earn on how they spend it just accommodation alone Mr Governor? I asked you what got into you earlier because this is not Kuol Manyang that people of Jonglei knew before.
I would like to remind you one thing let these be the last worst statement to come out of your mind if you want people behind you and last but not least: These people of Jonglei State have more power than you think to remove you from this position because good leaders are here with us and can make good governance to this wonderful State only that they give you this time to make a change within you to lead them. It was the issue of Land from Bor-town yesterday that majority of people disagreed with you not to mention many because for land was crucial but is not finish yet this one again? Watch out of wrong advisers, they are selling bad image of you to the people unless you acted out of their concerns and if so then look for wise advisers or else you will not make it in the next election if the don’t throw you out before that time and now.
I have one thing to readers and writers on this Net as a whole lets stop generalizing thing and link them to tribes. I am talking of leaders in Republic Of Southern ROSS/GOSS I did not mention either of you. Simply starting from the grass-roots to the whole nation, from families, sub clans, clans, tribes, region, name them in which manner you WANT put them, there are good people and bad people and likewise to the leadership good leaders come in their time and do bad leaders but remember we are close to the bridge to cross it to good governance by electing the leaders with QUALITIES of a leader this coming election. We voted back these leaders to the government both good and bad because we were focusing on Southern Sudan’s Independent. I hope you will all agree with this even the Heavenly Father is my witness.
Thanks. The writer is a man with no fear or favor.
Southern_Stocker
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Jonglie will be turned into Jungle by the man from jungle.
You guys hever think why some regions in the south are calm an peacefull while others are noisy ad messy? Think about about that south Sudanese
Liberator
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
majok akol
Torit it’s where the first ever liberation bullet against Arab was fire back in 1955.
Madior
Jonglei governor orders striking schools to reopen within 48 hours
Governor Kuol Keth
stop warning people and intimidate them about their demands. These poor teachers give up their time to educate these orphans. Just give them their salaries and stop being rude like adog. They are begging you, they deserve their benefits of teaching this kids. We don’t other primitive actions again in the regions, your conflicts with George Athor is already enough for us. Don’t be another delusional Ghadafi in the regions.