Oil pipeline in Paloch, Upper Nile State - photo: Courtesy

Malut County authorities in Upper Nile state have hired 100 professional primary and secondary school teachers from the neighboring Uganda to improve learning in the area.

The teachers will be deployed in eighteen primary schools and two secondary schools across the county.

“They are 30 teachers for secondary level and 70 for primary schools,” Deng Jou, the area commissioner said.

According to Jou, the primary school teachers will each earn a monthly salary of 200 US dollars, while the secondary school teachers will be paid 300 US dollars.

He said the oil-rich producing county will also cater for their accommodation, feeding and medical needs.

Commissioner Jou revealed that the hired teachers’ salaries will be raised from the 3% oil revenue allocation to the area by the national government.

He stated that the county has already signed a contract with a local company to be responsible for the welfare of the foreign teachers.

“This is as part of our efforts to improve the learning environment, as you know last the situation was not good and that’s why we did not focus on education including health,” Jou added.

The teachers are expected to arrive in the area early next month.

Melut was one of the counties in Upper Nile state devastated by the 2013 and 2016 war which displaced reportedly over 40,000 people.