By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer
Ministry of Public Service/PMO
The government of The Gambia has responded to the demand from The Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) executive on the issue of “inconsistencies in the payment of allowances to the Education Sector Personnel since the introduction of the 30% salary increment last year.”
According to the response from the Gambia Government through the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative Reforms, Policy Coordination and Delivery, the teaching fraternity is currently embarking on a sit-down strike throughout the country without due notification to their employer.
The government is calling on the Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) Executive to reconsider their decision and resume work for the betterment of the country.
It was explained in the response that the Government came to notice of the Gambia Teachers Union’s (GTU Executive) sit-Down-Strike through social media.
Upon the receipt of their letter, the Government continued in several attempts, by phone calls to GTU Executive on the matter, but they categorically stated that they cannot entertain any discussion.
Following the thorough review of GTU Executive’s demands, the Government continued to make detailed clarification/justifications as responses to each of the said demands below:
On the issue of 30% salary increment on zonal allowances:
The government clarified to GTU Executive that to fund the 30% salary increment, the Government embarked on expenditure across MDAs.
Other measures were to delink percentage-based allowances from basic salary. Such allowances include provincial allowance, and hardship allowance, among others. This is a government-wide policy not specific to MoBSE Government justified.
“With the National Assembly approval of the supplementary appropriation budget for the year 2022, provincial allowance for the zones as presented under General Orders 05305 was superseded. In this regard, the said allowance was converted to absolute values based on the 2019 version of the Integrated Pay Scale. It further clarified that the payment of provincial allowances to staff in other ministries is following the same formula.
On Hard-To-Reach Allowance:
According to the Government, the proposed arrangement for the management or implementation of a Hard-To-Reach Allowance which was presented to PMO by MoBSE was discussed with them at length and a response was given to that effect by PMO on May 5, 2022.
Likewise, this allowance it went to justified that with the delinking of the percentage-based allowance from the basic salary, it added, the percentage that civil servants were receiving before the 30% salary increase was converted to absolute values using the 2019 version of the Integrated Pay Scale.
On Double-shift-Allowance: According to Government they noted GTU Executive concern on the nonpayment reduction of Double Shift allowance for Regional Education Offices staff. The matter is being reviewed and all stakeholders will be informed in due course of the outcome of the review.
On Committee-Sitting-Allowance:
It clarified that with regards to the committee sitting allowance, it should be noted that also as part of the government-wide policy taken to support the implementation of the 2022 revised budget; Committee Allowance for all Ministries was frozen thus this freeze is in effect being applied across all MDAs.
On Invigilation fee for WASSCE and GABECE:
“It has been brought to the Government’s attention that during WASSCE and GABECE invigilators is usually a staff of the schools where the exams are taking place and the invigilation periods are conducted during school working hours for which they are paid salaries. Therefore, the proposal to pay an invigilation fee for work being done in lieu of teaching cannot be justified Government clarified.
On Charge-Allowance/Categorization of Schools:
Government advised GTU Executive to note that Charge-Allowance is payable where the engagements are formalized. “Therefore, whenever an officer is performing part of the duties of a higher post the said officer is entitled to charge allowance and the necessary approval should be sought from the PSC through PMO” it clarified.
However, it stated in the response that concerning the classification of schools, it has been brought to the attention of the Government that some of the schools especially those in the rural areas are not yet classified, and therefore high-level positions are not budgeted for those schools. In this case, it added, teachers who are put in charge of those schools cannot claim such allowances for positions that are not budgeted for.
On 05304-Relocation-Allowance:
Government urged GTU Executive to note that the payment of this allowance is an entitlement to all civil servants as they observed, adding that staff affected need to apply for the processing of the payment.