Teachers Unpaid as Jonglei Schools Teach Under Trees

(Yuai) – Education in Uror County, Jonglei State, is under severe pressure as insecurity, poor infrastructure and lack of government support continue to hinder access to learning for thousands of children.

Local officials and community leaders report that the education system is nearing collapse, with most children learning under trees and hundreds of teachers working without pay.

Uror County, with a population of over 240,000, is home to more than 64,000 school age children. Among them are 28,000 girls who face additional challenges due to safety risks and social barriers. According to the Uror County Education Department, 43 of the 106 schools in the area have no permanent structures. Classes are held under trees, leaving students exposed to the weather.

Torrential rains during the wet season often flood these makeshift classrooms, making it impossible to hold lessons. During the dry season, insecurity becomes a greater threat. Incidents of child abduction and cattle raiding increase, forcing parents to keep children at home for their safety.

The shortage of paid teachers also affects learning. Of the more than 800 teachers in the county, only 270 are officially on the government payroll. The remaining 552 serve as unpaid volunteers. This creates a teacher to student ratio of over 1 to 200, far above recommended levels.

Even schools located in towns are not spared. Nyijier Primary School in Yuai town, the administrative centre of Uror County, struggles to operate without basic infrastructure. The school has no latrines or clean water supply. Students must go home during break time to drink water, which leads to low class attendance in the afternoons.

School uniforms are rare, which local administrators say affects students’ safety and dignity. Nyijier Primary has 25 teachers, but only 10 receive salaries. The rest are volunteers. “Insecurity this year has caused many children to miss both the first and second terms,” said Head Teacher Peter Mun Gai. He added that the lack of fencing and overcrowded classrooms further compromise student safety.

The situation has led Uror County Commissioner James Gatluak Gatkhor to issue a public appeal to the central government, education development partners, and international organisations. He called for immediate support to provide classrooms, clean water, school fencing, and stable teacher salaries.

Despite the hardships, local communities and volunteer teachers continue to do their best to keep education running. But the pressure is growing. Without immediate support, officials warn that thousands of children may permanently drop out of school.

Observers say Uror County, which was among the first regions to rejoin the national government under President Salva Kiir in the Akobo districts of Jonglei, now needs that same government to respond with urgent services.

The education crisis in Uror is a reflection of broader challenges in South Sudan’s recovery. Many residents say that while the country fought hard for independence, current political divisions, tribal tensions, and power struggles are taking attention away from the needs of ordinary citizens. Education, they argue, should not be one of the sacrifices.