By Ralph Sesay
The Sierra Leone Teachers Union has yesterday presented Le5 million to a sick teacher of the St. Ann Primary School, Howe Street in Freetown.
Making the presentation, Foday Kuyateh, SLTU Secretary, noted that they are moving towards saving the life of one of their members who is sick with breast cancer.
He noted that teachers contribute a monthly stipend to the SLTU and that such monies are normally used to come to the aid of teachers, especially so when they are sick or have problems.
A representative of the school, who happens to be the head for the infant section of St. Ann’s Primary School, noted that she was among the teachers who had lost trust in the SLTU. However, she thanked the new executive for what she has described as the start of the new dawn.
Mohamed Ibrahim Jalloh, Central Zone Chairman, who was also part of the delegation, noted that, on behalf of the President of the SLTU, they are at the St. Ann’s School to respond to a plight of one of their members.
He stated that they are, this time, publicizing most of their support to colleague teachers, because most of what they have been doing, behind the scenes, in terms of supporting their colleague teachers, has not been made public.
Responding, Magaret Dawo, a teacher at the Pre-School at St. Ann Primary School, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, noted that she has been in the field of teaching since 1987 and she is a paid up member of the SLTU.
She appreciated the support given to her by the SLTU and noted that she will serve as living testimony to all teachers who speak ill against the SLTU.
She acknowledged the token of Le5 million given to her by the SLTU, noting that this will go a long way towards supporting her surgical operation, which, she noted, will soon be done.
The SLTU was under the spotlight for not always responding to the plight of its members, even though authorities have always maintained they have been doing a lot behind the scenes to support the creation of loan schemes at district levels, and also supporting sick teachers. He lamented that they have not been given the media publicity such gestures deserve.
The case of Margaret Dawo will go down in history as a true testament that the SLTU is concerned for its members.