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Teachers are the engine for the successful implementation of the Free and Quality Education Project that was launched by President Julius Maada Bio on August 2018.
It is for this reason that President Bio promised the Teachers through their umbrella body, the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) Executive on 13th July 2018 at State House in making the classroom condition very lucrative by looking into their concerns.
After the Trade Negotiation between the SLTU Executive members and the Government for improved conditions of service, the Ministry of Finance then issued a press release stating that “following the improvement in the conditions of service of healthcare workers in 2019, teachers’ salaries are increased by 30%, to support human capital development effective 20th April 2020 and this was reflective on the 24th April 2020 when full payment of the 30% salary increase for 34,350 teachers was actualized.
It is unfortunate that this joy has been shattered today as a result of the high inflation in the country. Some teachers who received their salaries lamented that this would not even take them for two weeks not to mention bills and other domestic issues to settle before the re-opening of schools.
As a way of averting humiliation at home, most of the teachers are appealing to the Government to re-engage the SLTU Executive so as to address their deplorable plight.
In another development, a cross sections of teachers are currently appealing through the Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh to the Government for the payment of Leave Allowance. Teachers are like any other Civil Servants, for this reason if others are getting their Leave Allowance, why should they be left out.
The effective operations of the schools today depend on the subsidy government is paying during the term. One of the major burning issue affecting primary schools is the amount that is being paid per child during the term. Most Heads of
Primary Schools are not pleased with the numerous challenges they are going through.
Even though they appreciated the strides of the government in rolling out various projects in the Free Quality Education, they are appealing for this money to be increased to Thirty Thousand Leones (Le30,000) per child during the term.
The teachers noted that as they wait patiently for the re-opening of schools in September, they pray fervently for their concerns to be looked into and amicable addressed by the Government.
