(JUBA) – Civil servants across South Sudan are urgently calling on the Ministry of Finance to release months of unpaid salaries as schools prepare to reopen next month. Government employees warn that without immediate payments, many families may struggle to cover basic needs and school fees for their children.
Public frustration is growing as parents face rising food prices alongside the impending costs of education. Teachers, doctors, security personnel, and other public workers say they are in “dire” financial situations, unable to provide for their households.
During a live broadcast on Dawn Radio (Eye Radio) on Tuesday, citizens from Juba and other cities described worsening hardships. Joseph, a Juba resident, urged the new Minister of Finance to fulfil payment promises left over from the previous administration.
“We are calling for the new minister to pay arrears in cash. The situation in Juba is terrible. When you see the children in the houses, they are crying; there is nothing for them. If we are not given money, children will not be able to go to school. Between hunger and disease, we are calling for the National Government to act,” Joseph said.
In Wau, Lazarus, another civil servant, highlighted the unique struggle of South Sudanese workers. “The issue of salary has become a serious issue. There is no country where people working for the government suffer like this. We work, and yet we are not being paid. I have not witnessed this anywhere else. We are working for free,” he said.
Albino, also from Juba, appealed directly to both the Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly, stressing that the failure to pay salaries threatens children’s education. “We have gone four months without salaries. We spent Christmas without pay, and now schools are reopening. When do they expect us to take our kids to school? We urge them to at least pay us urgently so we can meet these costs,” he said.
Observers note that delayed salaries do more than harm individual families. They undermine the functioning of public institutions, including schools, hospitals, and security services, threatening overall stability.
With many families depending on civil service wages to cover basic expenses, calls for urgent action have intensified. Citizens are appealing to the government to clear all outstanding salary arrears before the school term begins, emphasising both human dignity and the right to education.
Salary Arrears Impact
| Duration of arrears | Employees affected | Estimated household impact (example) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | Teachers, doctors, security personnel | Unable to cover food and school fees, risk of children dropping out |