Al Jazeera teachers' strike enters its fifth week amid new tactics

July 12, 2026 (PEN) The Sudanese Teachers Committee reported that the “Strike of Dignity and Pride” by teachers in Al-Jazirah State has entered its fifth week, with the tactic being changed from “stay at home” to attending schools two to three days a week to prove attendance and refrain from teaching, following threats to suspend the strikers’ salaries.

The enlightening statement issued by the state’s teachers yesterday affirmed their commitment to the demands for improved wages, payment of entitlements, and ensuring a decent life, noting the continuation of intimidation campaigns and arbitrary transfers of more than 200 male and female teachers, and the arrest of a number of teachers, including Professor Mai Abdel Latif.

The teachers stressed that reducing the school year to less than 45 days represents a serious setback and confirms that education is no longer among the priorities of the authorities, warning that participating in a "distorted school year" means contributing to the perpetuation of the education crisis.

The statement explained that attempts to break the strike through administrative procedures and by using pensioners and mobilized personnel had failed, stressing that "steadfastness is our choice until the legitimate demands are fully met without any reduction."

The statement concluded by emphasizing that the policy of ignoring the strike of the teachers of Al-Jazira is the same policy that was used against the strike of university professors and teachers in other states, most notably Kassala.