Sudan’s Burhan orders education committee amid teacher wage demands
March 12, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday ordered the formation of a committee to support education, while the Teachers’ Committee demanded a sharp increase in the minimum wage to combat soaring living costs.
Sudanese teachers have faced deteriorating living conditions and a loss of livelihoods since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023. Many have seen salary payments suspended, leaving them unable to meet basic needs or maintain their social standing.
The Sovereign Council said in a statement that Burhan directed the formation of a high-level committee to develop solutions and proposals to improve the country’s educational environment.
The directive was issued during a forum for state education ministers in Khartoum. Education Minister al-Tohami al-Zain Hajar said the gathering aimed to create a framework for reform and provided an opportunity to brief Burhan on the sector’s challenges.
Hajar said that Burhan ordered payment of five months’ salary arrears for teachers in Khartoum State. He also directed the repair of the Ministry of Education’s printing press to resume the production of school textbooks for distribution across all states.
The Teachers’ Committee, however, renewed its call for a significant structural wage adjustment. It is demanded that the minimum wage be raised from 12,000 pounds to 216,000 pounds to keep pace with the current cost of living.
The committee also called for adjusting fixed-value allowances to keep pace with inflation and for the full settlement of all outstanding financial arrears.
It criticized recent promises from union groups linked to the former regime, describing them as an attempt to mislead the public and neutralize teacher anger rather than providing a genuine solution.
The committee noted that while the government moved quickly to improve wages for regular security forces, it has relied on “deferred promises” for educators.
On March 3, the Economic Committee, led by Prime Minister Kamel Idriss, authorized immediate wage increases for security forces under the 2026 budget. No similar action was announced for other public sector employees.