SLTU Issues 21-Day Strike Notice Over Unpaid School Fees Subsidies and Other Concerns

The Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) has issued a 21-day strike notice to the government, citing unresolved issues surrounding unpaid school fees subsidies.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, the SLTU expressed frustration over the government’s failure to pay the outstanding school fees subsidies for the third term of the 2023/2024 academic year and the first term of the 2024/2025 academic year.

The Union, in consultation with heads of schools across the country, highlighted several key demands, emphasizing the need for urgent action to prevent a nationwide strike. The notice, effective Tuesday, 5th November 2024, outlines the following issues:

1. Immediate payment of outstanding school fees subsidies for the third term of the 2023/2024 academic year and the first term of the 2024/2025 academic year.
   Related News

   • What’s ‘Safe’ About Killing The Unborn? The Truth Behind Sierra Leone’s Very Nasty Safe Motherhood Bill
   • Leone Rock Premier League 2024/25: Match Week 1 Delivers Thrills And Surprises
   • U.S. Government Trains Sierra Leone Navy and Maritime Police on Outboard Motor Maintenance

2. Ensuring prompt payment of school fees subsidies at the beginning of every school term.

3. Rectifying non-payment, underpayment, and other anomalies in the payment of subsidies.

4. Reviewing the current amount paid per pupil as a school fees subsidy to reflect the current economic conditions and inflation.

5. The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) must immediately replace teachers who have left the profession due to death, abandonment, or retirement, and all replacements should be made in the schools where the vacancies occurred.

6. Resumption of the supply of teaching and learning materials to schools to ensure effective education delivery.

The SLTU warned that failure to address these concerns within 21 days would result in industrial action, with teachers across the country withdrawing their services. However, the Union also encouraged teachers to continue their diligent work until the strike deadline.

The move comes as schools across Sierra Leone continue to grapple with a lack of resources and delayed payments, further complicating the delivery of quality education. The SLTU’s demands underscore the growing tension between the Union and the government over education funding, teacher shortages, and the general state of school infrastructure.

The clock is now ticking for the government to respond and avert a strike that could disrupt the country’s education system.