Sudanese university professors frustrated with financial incentives

June 23, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese university professors have met with extreme disappointment a decision of the minister of higher education, Sumaya Abu Kashawa, to pay them a monthly incentive.

Several university professors told Sudan Tribune that the maximum amount of the monthly incentive approved by the minister is 587 pounds (SDG), pointing it would not improve their harsh living conditions.

It should be recalled that the monthly salary of a university professor in Khartoum doesn’t exceed 3100 pounds (about $320).

In late 2013, following the migration of 12000 university professors, the National Council for Higher Education and Scientific Research has recommended raising the salary of the university professors to 9000 pounds (about $1000) in order to prevent their immigration.

Abu Kashawa in a ministerial decree on 14 June, says the Sudanese parliament issued a resolution to add 85 million pounds to support higher education institutions and improve the terms of services of the teaching staff.

The decision, seen by Sudan Tribune included a monthly payment for the teaching staff effective January 2015 as follows: 587 pounds for the professor, 481 pounds for the associate professor, 423 pounds for the assistant professor and 375 pounds for the lecturer.

A university professor, who preferred to told Sudan Tribune under the cover of anonymity that an increase of 500 pound would not encourage a university professor to stay in Sudan and deliver his educational message, stressing “the brain drain will continue”.

Sudan’s economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country’s oil output.

The Sudanese pound has lost more than half its value since South Sudan’s secession, pushing inflation rates to record levels and leading to significant brain drain particularly among physicians and university professors.

Government reports show that 94230 people have migrated during 2012 compared to 10032 in 2008, including 5028 physicians and 1002 from education professions.

In 2011 more than 600 university professors and Ph. D holders left the country due to the hard economic conditions.

According to 2012 figures, the number of workers at the higher education institutions reached 22, 204 worker including 13,607 teaching staff and 438 teachers.

(ST)