South Sudan President Kiir has ordered the Finance Minister to clear the two months of arrears that were demanded by public university lecturers across the country. This came after the staff of these institutions gave the government until Monday to respond to their industrial action. As a result, the President had to act swiftly and directed the Finance Minister to release the salaries of both teaching and non-teaching staff. The higher learning staff had threatened to go on strike if the government did not provide a satisfactory response.

Although the Minister of Higher Education has urged the lecturers to continue teaching now that their demands have been addressed, it is not yet clear when the government will release the money. This plan of strike could potentially disrupt ongoing exams for students across all universities. Nonetheless, the ministers have agreed to work together in the area of education and have adopted a policy to release the salaries of lecturers as soon as possible, as promised by the Finance Minister.

Despite the President’s prompt response to the issue, the lecturers are not entirely encouraged by the move and still have doubts about the government’s promise to pay them their two months’ salaries.