Khartoum — April 4, 2023 – The Sudanese Teachers Committee (STC) announced that it will extend the suspension of the nationwide state‑school teachers’ strike by an additional month, citing a “breakthrough in the negotiations.” After nearly two months of strike action, the STC had temporarily halted the walkout in late February to support ongoing talks.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Committee said it had reviewed the report from the teachers’ negotiation team, which is discussing their demands with representatives of the Sovereignty Council. The report includes several recommendations, such as monitoring the implementation of the Sovereignty Council’s grant—a bonus of SDG 144,000 per teacher—and ensuring payment of financial dues in accordance with Resolution 380. The Ministry of Finance has agreed to allocate the necessary funds to the treasuries of all 18 Sudanese states starting Sunday. It also pledged to pay the Eid Al‑Fitr bonus in the coming days, rather than leaving the disbursement to individual state governments. The STC described these developments as a breakthrough, noting that “what is agreed upon is moving in the direction of implementation.”
Earlier in February, teachers expressed skepticism about the Ministry of Finance’s previous promises to settle outstanding dues and delayed salaries, labeling those assurances as “political fraud.” Regarding the demand for a higher minimum wage, the statement noted that the Sovereignty Council’s negotiation committee proposed an alternative grant, a matter that still requires discussion within the teachers’ union.
The strike began in December of the previous year, with teachers demanding increased education spending, a higher minimum wage, better teaching conditions, improved school environments, and prompt payment of overdue salaries. In October, the Ministry of Finance rejected these demands. After the first month of striking, the Ministry promised in January to pay the delayed dues but said it could not raise the minimum wage, a pledge that teachers doubted. Negotiations continued, and at the end of February, after nearly two months of nationwide action, the STC suspended the strike for two weeks as a “sign of goodwill” to facilitate talks. Some teachers in several states chose to maintain the strike until their demands were met. The suspension was extended in mid‑March and again now, to further support negotiations. The strike has involved only teachers in state‑funded schools, not those in private institutions.
Comments are closed for this story.