A release from the Financial in the Ministry of Finance has stated that Government has spent a total of three hundred billion leones in different aspects of the Free Education Flagship Project amidst continued their fate in terms of their improved terms and conditions.
The Government release has informed the general public that the Government of the New Direction, effective the 31st December 2018, has paid the sum of 61 billion leones for the procurement and supply of teaching and learning materials; Le 48 billion for core textbooks and other textbooks for primary schools; Le13 billion for school materials such as chalk, rulers and school registers, etc; 30% advance payment for fifty school buses and 35 billion for second term tuition fees for the 2018/2019 academic years and other related budgetary support to local councils for devolved educational functions.
Many are wondering why Government continues to splash out such huge funds to the sector and at the same time remains hugely reluctant to even commence negotiations with the parent body for teachers over the new improved conditions of service.
A source from the Ministry of Labour intimated nightwatch that Government is yet to submit its own nominees to constitute the Teaching Service Trade Group Negotiating Council (TSGNC ), which will eventually be tasked with the responsibility to negotiate the new terms and conditions as established by the Bargaining Agreement for the attention of government.
The Sierra Leone Teachers Union, on their part, have gone ahead in signing a memorandum of understanding with the Voice of Teachers over the welfare of teachers. The Union has come under pressure in the recent times for failing to speak to the issues affecting teachers across the country.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, who many teachers think is ‘one of them,’ has failed to bring to the fore the issue of teachers and their interest in the government flagship project remains bleak.