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Sudan's state schoolteachers have been on strike since November over low and unpaid salaries. They accuse the military government of failing to prioritize education and are calling for the civilian government to be restored. Meanwhile, Sudan’s finance minister says the government has met the teachers’ demands. Henry Wilkins reports from Khartoum, Sudan.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: SUDAN TEACHERS STRIKE (TV/R)
HEADLINE: Sudan Teachers Remain on Strike Despite Gov’t Claims of Concessions
TEASER:
PUBLISHED: 3/8/23
BYLINE: Henry Wilkins
DATELINE: PORT SUDAN, SUDAN
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins
VIDEO EDITOR: Henry Wilkins
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ, Bowman
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Zoom, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO_X_
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[Sudan's state schoolteachers have been on strike since November over low and unpaid salaries. They accuse the military government of failing to prioritize education and are calling for the civilian government to be restored. Meanwhile, Sudan’s finance minister says the government has met the teachers’ demands. Henry Wilkins reports from Khartoum, Sudan.]]
((VIDEO-VOA: EMPTY SCHOOL - various, KHAMIS ESTABLISHING SHOTS - various))
((NARRATOR))
Schools empty of their students are a common sight across Sudan. Since November, teachers have conducted multiple strikes, protesting wages that in some cases have not been paid in months, and which many teachers say are too low.
Khamis Maamour Chatmi is the principal of this school in Khartoum. He says he worries about his students’ education while the strikes continue.
((Khamis Maamour Chatmi, School Principal (in Arabic, 20 secs)))
“The problem will destroy several generations and the whole community itself. The problem is not only related to the teachers of Sudan, but to the whole community.”
(( For radio:
He says, “The problem will destroy several generations and the whole community itself. The problem is not only related to the teachers of Sudan, he says, but to the whole community.))
((VIDEO-VOA: AMIR ESTABLISHING SHOTS - various))
((NARRATOR))
His students, like Amir Mohammed Abdalla, are worried about their education too.
((Amir Mohammed Abdallah, Student, (in Arabic, 18 secs)))
“Private schools continue their lessons and are still teaching, whereas we study in state-run schools, and lessons are suspended. This is really harmful since we are supposed to be given equal chances. It will be very competitive and creates a huge gap between us.”
((For radio:
He says, private schools continue their lessons and are still teaching, whereas we study in state-run schools, and lessons are suspended. This is really harmful since we are supposed to be given equal chances, Abdallah says. It will be very competitive and creates a huge gap between us.))
((VIDEO-VOA: SCHOOL STUDENTS PING PONG - various, VIDEO-AP: PRTOESTS IN KHARTOUM - various))
((NARRATOR))
Since a military government headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan took power by way of a coup in October 2021, pro-democracy protests have rocked Khartoum on a regular basis.
Civil servants have also struck over unpaid wages.
Khartoum locals and even some government officials have told VOA there is a sense that the state is not functioning. The teachers’ strike could be just the tip of the iceberg.
Gamaria Omar Ahmad Husain is the vice chairman of the Sudanese Teachers Committee, which has organized the strikes. She says the situation would have been resolved under the previous civilian government.
((Gamaria Omar Ahmad Husain, Vice Chairman Sudanese Teachers Committee (in Arabic, 27 secs)))
“Because we had a civilian government that cares about education, unlike this government established by the coup. And it’s clear that after the coup, education and other fields have been affected… Education is not their priority at all based on what Jibril said in his speech. He thinks that education and teachers are not productive.”
((For radio
Because we had a civil government that cares about education, she says, unlike this government established by the coup. And it’s clear, Husain says, that after the coup, education and other fields have been affected.… Education is not their priority at all based on what Jibril said in his speech. He thinks that education and teachers are not productive.))
((VIDEO-VOA: ELEVATED SHOTS OF KHARTOUM - various))
((NARRATOR))
Gibril Ibrahim is Sudan’s finance minister, who has been negotiating with the teachers on behalf of the government. Speaking with VOA, he insisted the government has addressed teachers’ concerns, which he alleged are being manipulated.
((Jibril Ibrahim, Minister of Finance (in English, 21 secs)))
“We’ve actually increased the budget for education at close to 18% now. Part of the whole thing is politicization of teachers’ demands. Actually, the demands have been met, but some are using these demands for their political agenda.”
((VIDEO-VOA: EMPTY SCHOOL - various, KHAMIS IN EMPTY CLASSROOM -
various))
((NARRATOR))
Yet the strikes continue. Although wages appear to have been paid to instructors in Khartoum, they have not been paid in other parts of the country, according to teachers.
((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Khartoum, Sudan))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateMarch 9, 2023 15:57 EST
BylineHenry Wilkins
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
