Sudan teachers go on strike over meagre salaries and dilapidated schools

What the report says

Teachers in Sudan, especially in Khartoum State, have entered a third week of strike action over very low pay, unpaid entitlements and worsening school conditions, according to Al Jazeera. The report centers on Amal Suleiman Ahmed al-Haj, a secondary school teacher with 26 years of experience whose salary is described as far below basic living costs. Teachers say they cannot cover transport, food and family expenses, and many are taking side jobs or considering leaving the profession.

The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee says the walkout has been staged intermittently across the country as officials have failed to resolve the dispute. Its spokesperson said teachers have already tried formal complaints to the education ministry, finance ministry and the presidential palace. The committee is seeking a sharp increase in the minimum wage, higher meal and housing allowances, and payment of long-delayed benefits. Prime Minister Kamil Idris had ordered payment of money owed to teachers after talks with unions, but no clear schedule was announced, leaving the standoff unresolved.

Al Jazeera reported that the strike is unfolding amid Sudan’s wider war, which has damaged schools, displaced communities and disrupted public services. Teachers and education officials say classrooms are overcrowded, underfunded or unusable in some places. UNESCO and UN-linked data cited in the article describe widespread school damage and millions of children out of school. The dispute underscores how the conflict and economic collapse are deepening pressure on Sudan’s already fragile education system.