Pay teachers their dues

Mmegi Editor | Friday April 17, 2015 15:20

The Botswana Sectors of Educators Union (BOSETU) has threatened that its members will not work extra hours until they are paid.

These developments are worrisome. It is the  students who suffer the most when teachers and the government are at loggerheads. The impasse has proved catastrophic in the last couple of years.

It is inarguable that the recent poor performance by students in public schools is a direct result of poor working relations between the teachers and the government.

We agree with the teachers that failure to pay overtime allowance would demoralise them and subsequently lead to poor performance of the students. It is no surprise that in the last two years, all government schools failed to achieve above 50 percent  pass rate in all grades. 

While we are fully sympathetic to the teachers, we do not agree that they should boycott classes at this stage.  Healthy engagement processes should be established.

We believe however that in this latest labour battle, the government should take the blame. The question is why is it taking long for the government to pay the teachers their dues? History shows that the Botswana government has always paid its debts. It is shameful that the so-called efficient government is failing to pay the teachers their overtime allowances. Is it the case of bureaucracy and inefficient government officials failing to do their job? We donot think so!

In fact we think there is something fundamentally wrong at the Ministry of Education. There is something the government or should we say the ministry is not telling us.

We suspect a crisis within the ministry. Is the government experiencing liquidity problems? We wonder and hope this is not the case.

We know for a fact the ministry is not only failing to pay overtime allowances, but terminal benefits for hundreds of temporary teachers whose contracts came to an end early last year.

We also know for a fact that the ministry also owes local and international institutions of learning millions. For sure, the crisis-ridden Ministry of Education is facing another problem.

Today’s thought

“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for

the soul of the child”

 

-Charl Jung