Sudan teachers petition presidency over collapsed salaries, warn public schooling at risk

October 7, 2026  (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s main teachers’ union submitted an emergency memorandum to the presidency on Wednesday, warning that collapsing real wages and unpaid arrears threaten the survival of public education amid wartime economic distress.

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee said standard government salaries now cover just 3% of basic family needs, leaving staff impoverished as inflation surges and social services crumble across the conflict-torn country.

A monthly basket of basic goods for a family of five now costs roughly 4.18 million Sudanese pounds, while average teacher pay languishes at 128,125 pounds, the committee said in a statement.

The union appealed directly to the country’s military leadership at the Republican Palace after talks with federal and state ministries collapsed.

Its demands include raising the minimum wage to 500,000 pounds, restructuring civil service pay scales, disbursing backlogged wages and allowances, and paying salaries by the fifth of every month.

The memorandum highlighted severe regional disparities, urging intervention for educators in conflict-battered western regions, including Darfur and Kordofan, where state services have largely broken down.

The union warned that submitting the petition marked the end of forbearance and signaled potential escalation unless authorities provide an actionable timeline to meet their demands.