By: Nicholas Bass
Students from different schools in their dismay are calling on President Adama Barrow’s government to pay schools’ improvement grants to schools nationwide.
Speaking to this medium in the early hours of Monday during the seat-down strike of schools receiving subventions, Omar Jassey, the assistant head boy of Gambia Senior Secondary School, in his disappointment, said the situation was a terrible one, stating that most students paid fares to school without learning.
”Most of the students paid fares to come to school, but there is no learning. It is becoming very terrible. We are affected, the government should tackle this issue, ” Jassey decried.
Jassey argued that despite the Barrow government being aware of the plight of the affected schools, they did not do anything, stating that education should be prioritized for it is the cornerstone of any development for any serious government.
”I am in grade 12 and in grade 12 when there is no teacher, students will fail and when they fail people will start blaming the students. Even a day’s loss is a big loss for the students,” he said.
Bainjina Kpewa, a student of Garba Juhumpa Upper Basic & Senior Secondary School, said that the teachers’ sit-down strike would hinder the upcoming result of final year students who will sit for the West African SeniorSchools Examination Certificate, adding that the West African Examination Council will not put into consideration teachers’ sit-down strike.
Muhammed Kujabi, one of the General Science teachers of Latrikunda Upper Basic School, pleaded with the Barrow government to pay the SIGs which, he said, will enable heads of schools to run the schools smoothly.
”I believe teachers’ sit-down strike is the best way for them to express their grievances. Imagine leaving home from 6 am to 6 pm without salary, it is very sad. The government should do the needful,” Kujabi said.
However, the Senior Programs Officer of the Gambia Teachers’ Union, Pa Daniel Mendy, said that the teachers’ sit-down strike is necessitated by non-payment of salaries for senior secondary board schools, subvention, and SIGs for mission schools, stating when the subventions are not paid to schools, it will affect the livelihood of auxiliary staff in the schools.
Mr. Mendy stated that some of the staff are part of this subvention, adding that GTU has been in these follow-ups to remind the government so that they can fulfil this commitment ”so that affected staff can have their salaries”.
”Personally, I went with the general secretary herself to meet the finance minister after we had written to them more than a month ago to seek audience. That request was not responded to. So, we went there to follow up on that letter and to see if we can meet the minister of finance. He didn’t even meet us, he sent his personal secretary to talk to us to say the SIG is paid to Ministry of Basic and Secondary education,” Mendylamented.
He explained that when they tried to confirm if the SIGs were paid to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, they were disappointed after knowing that it was not paid as claimed by the finance minister, stressing that they had to go back to the Ministry of Finance the same day and requested a copy of the location of the SIGs. Mendy further stated that when he went to the budget department at the Ministry of Finance, he was told that the said SIGs were in the monthly cash plan.
Mendy concluded that action had not been taken and the truth was not told, stressing that such compelled GTU to ask their staff to put their tools down, stating that if the plights of the affected staff are not addressed, the office shall call all the teachers today across the country to go on a sit-down strike.
He advised the staff and students across the country to be law-abiding, stating the GTU believes in dialogue.
Meanwhile, this reporter was sent out of St. Therese Upper Basic Cycle School by one Mr. Paul Simon Mendy, the principal of the school, after declining a request for an interview, but one of his teachers, Amadou Jallow, said he was disappointed with his boss’ stand in the teachers’ sit-down strike.