The staff have said they will head to the streets to strike over the accumulated salary arrears, even as students also notify of plans to join the demos

By Makur Adut

The Non-academic Staff Association of Rumbek University of Science and Technology have threatened to strike from today (Monday) over lack of payment of their ten months’ salary from January to September 2024, and arrears of December 2023

Dut Majok Kurauai, the chairperson of the Association said they had a meeting and came up with a resolution that their delayed salaries, which have accumulated for ten months, be paid.

“Therefore, we the Non-academic Staff Association of Rumbek University of Science and technology, have resolved to start our strike with effect from Monday until our demands are addressed by the National Ministry of Finance and Planning. There will be no services at Rumbek University of Science and technology,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sebit Jok Reech, the University’s Guild President called on the government to find an urgent solution and address the suffering experienced by the students, who now go without lectures and food.

“On behalf of Rumbek University of Science and Technology’s General Students Assembly and on my own behalf, I would like to take this golden opportunity to bring into the attention of Hon. Minister of Higher Education and Science Technology that students are stranded in the university without lectures and feeding,” he said, and added:

“Since our lecturers have not been paid for more than 10 months, some of them who went for holiday are also constrained by lack of transport fares for them to come back to the University. Few of the lecturers who are on campus have put down their tools due to the same problem of salary not being paid for too long.”

The Guild President requested government to pay the lecturers promptly so that they embark on their normal duties at the university. He also urged for the payment of the contractor in charge of students’ feeding, who had stopped supplying meals to the students due to delay in his pay, a move that had caused suffering among the students.

“We are calling for the stakeholders to urgently and positively respond to our suffering, and for the National Ministry of Finance and Planning to immediately pay the money as to address our suffering and cushion the lives of students,” he said, stating their next course of action.

“If nothing happens within seven days from now, students will go out in their numbers for a peaceful demonstration. We cannot afford to die of hunger in the campus, and also go without lectures. We will make our voices heard,” he said.

In April last year (2023), lecturers and the non-academic staff association at the university downed their tools over unpaid salary arrears.

“Yesterday, the academic staff association of Rumbek University of Science and Technology laid down their tools. We are demanding the national ministry of Finance and planning to pay us two months’ salary arrears with the new salary structure that was approved by the Council of Ministers to adjust the salary structure of public universities, which was not implemented,” said Gum Makur Gum, the secretary for information at the University.

“If nothing happens within seven days from now, students will go out in their numbers for a peaceful demonstration. We cannot afford to die of hunger in the campus, and also go without lectures. We will make our voices heard,” said Sebit Jok Reech, the University’s Guild President.