Upper Nile state’s Council of Ministers has issued a decree relieving more than one hundred Sudanese teachers of their posts working under the state education ministry.

Kak Akol Al-Faki, the director of education in Renk County said that they were surprised by the council’s decision, taken shortly after primary schools reopened.  It will require 73 primary level and 40 secondary level teachers to end their contracts having only just recently begun the new school year.

“After opening of the schools immediately, we were surprised by the resolution made by the Upper Nile state council of ministers on date 1/2/2013 for relieving staff, workers and teachers who are foreigners, the northerners in the all government’s institutions and ministries. For us here in Renk County, we were affected by the loss of 73 teachers. So these will have a great effect because we will face shortage of the teachers in all our payams and these teachers were the best in all of Upper Nile, because we started training them in English in 2006…” Kak claimed.

He explained that the decision was in accordance with the central government’s orders to nationalise all government posts.

However, many of the dismissed teachers have received advanced teacher training and intensive English language. Kak claimed that their absence would have a great impact on the county’s education system.

South Sudan has a severe shortage of both primary and secondary school teachers and a 2010 EMIS report claimed that only 25% are known to have any kind of training, formal or otherwise.

Photo: Martyr Yunis Abu Suder Primary School in Dalami area, February 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)