The Professional Union of University Professors in Sudan called for a review and change of the trade union law, which it described as defective and does not reflect the history of the union movement.
Khartoum: AlTaghyeer
The union explained that the issue is not related to improving salaries only, but rather to the equitable distribution of state resources, wondering how the budget allocated for public education and higher education is only at 2.2%, while the regular agencies enjoy 60%.
This came in the deliberations and discussions that took place in the workshop to improve the conditions of the university professors in Sudan, which was held in the International Hall in the premises of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Wednesday, organized by the union.
Highest Salary
The professional union suggested that the professor’s salary should be the highest in the country, just like in neighboring countries.
The union submitted a proposal to formulate a structure for a university professor commensurate with the nature of his profession in accordance with the university professor’s service conditions.
In addition, the union proposed that the salary of the professor be 600,000 pounds, the associate professor 580,000 pounds, the assistant professor 468,000 pounds, and the lecturer 380,000 pounds, provided that the salary is linked to the dollar’s exchange rate.
Free Education
The union pointed out that the issue of free higher education is among the top issues on its agenda.
The professors union stressed that education in Sudan should not be a privilege but rather a right, calling on the state to abide by the budgets of the Ministry and universities, and to pay attention to scientific research.
It denounced the state’s tendency to transform higher education into a commodity, pointing out that democracy in Sudan only accepts the democracy of education, in reference to the realization of the “equality and justice” slogan.
Flawed Law
For his part, the president of the union, Hisham al-Nour, described the 2010 law and the 2004 law on trade unions as defective and in need of review.
He emphasized on the essential role of Sudan’s trade unions in restoring and defending democracy, indicating that the previous regime deliberately distorted trade union work.
The union’s president pointed out out that the constitutional document granted the universities their autonomy, and the need for the National Council for Higher Education to play its role towards the university professor and higher education issues as a whole.
Al-Nour indicated that the union represented all Sudanese universities and was a legitimate body authorized to speak for, declare, or defend the rights of a university professor.
He noted that all neighboring countries allocate the highest percentage of their budgets for education, adding that the issue of development cannot be separated from knowledge.
He called for addressing the issue of the salaries of university professors and workers in higher education and research, and accused unnamed parties of working according to policies that wish to gamble with higher education issues.
