By Adama Makasuba
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has insisted of not receiving a butut in fights against the deadly coronavirus pandemic as they introduced new learning method for students whereby students take lessons through radio and television stations across the country.
The Ministry last month projected an amount of D35million to cover the 21 days of the distance learning for students, which has recently been extended as Barrow administration through the vote in the National Assembly approved an additional 45 days State of Public Emergency seeking to fight the pandemic.
The home-schooling has received scores of critics as the Ministry D35 million project is been regarded as a waste.
But last Thursday the Ministry dispelled the rumours making round that the Ministry has received such huge amount of money from the central government.
The Ministry’s permanent secretary, Ebrima Sisawo, said: “Contrary to the wide heard and circulated rumour that D35million was given to the Ministry, I want to state that to date no single butut is receive by this Ministry towards the fight against COVID-19.”
He added that “The total amount spent on these activities is on two components. One is the payment to media houses which is as follows D900,000 is to be paid to GRTS, the same amount is to be paid to QTV. D200,000 is to be paid to Star TV, D65,217.39 to be paid to each radio station and in total 27 radio stations were contracted to carry out the activity.”
