Govt fails to pay teachers

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Thousands of teachers from Central West Education Division (CWED) have complained that government throught the Ministry of Education is ill-treating them by failing to pay their leave grants for two years now.

But public relations officer at the ministry Lindiwe Chide disowned the teachers' problem in an interview on Friday saying “issues of leave grants are handled by divisional offices”.

Our sources claimed they have not been receiving their leave grants since 2009 and that there is no indication that the ministry was willing to pay them. According to the source, each teacher is owed not less than K8,500.

The situation has been aggrevated by government's latest ban on part-time lessons where teachers could make some monies for supplementing their monthly salaries.

This development has forced other members of the teaching profession to go into ursury (katapila) in order to buy some their basic requirements, sources said last week.

“When we forward our grievances to the ministry, we don't get any answer,” they said.

They further complained that there are some officials in the ministry who are suppressing the freedom of teachers by intimidating them with dismissalls if they dare continue pressing for their dues.

“This is abuse and ill-treatment. Why should we be subjected to such life when we're professionals? Please, let the nation know the kind of suffering we're going through, please!” said a female who equally refused to be named.

She said at one time the ministry said it could not manage to pay them at once because the teachers were “too many”. As such, a decision was reached that they would get their money in phases.

“But this didn't materialize as well. And we don't know whether we're going to ever get our money,” she said.

But Education PRO Lindiwe Chide while denying responsibility said she does not remember the ministry owing any teacher leave grants for such a long period of time.

“I don't think that is true. Have you ever heard of government ill-treating its people? They're just exaggerating the issue,” she said.

Asked if it was true that the ministry had suggested to pay them in phases, Chide said she would have to consult divisional officers on the issue.

“But I sometimes wonder why it is always teachers who complain of all the public servants. And why do they rush to the media when there are some problems?” she inquired further saying “rushing to the media is one of the major causes of their suffering”.

“We've an open door policy. Everyone is free to come even to see the PS (principal secretary), yet they don't want to come. Instead they rush to the media,” Chide said.

But five of the CWED teachers said they have never heard of the open door policy the PRO was talking about. They claimed that no one can express their grievances on such kind of issues like leave grants without risking your job.

“Why are they asking for names of ringleaders when they've an open door policy?” they asked.
END