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Momodou
Denmark
11713 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Sep 2018 : 13:46:53
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More teachers join the strike after VP’s threat
The Point: Friday, September 28, 2018
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/more-teachers-join-the-strike-after-vps-threat
More teachers have now joined the sit-down strike championed by Teachers For Change (TFC) after words of threat were issued by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Ousainou Darboe, during his meeting with the executive of TFC at his office at State House.
Mr. Darboe threatened that if teacher strikers fail to report to school effective Sept. 28, their services will be terminated and be replaced with retired teachers. However, his threat is proving to be disastrous as more teachers are now joining the strike instead.
Last Sunday, 24th of September 2018, about 400 teachers attended a meeting organised by members of the TFC. But on Thursday morning, more than 500 teachers attended the meeting organised by the TFC in Abuko.
Kanifing Upper and Senior Secondary School with other teachers from different school were the latest to join the sit-down strike.
Parts of the demands of TFC include increment of their salaries, issuing of identify card, no delay in the payment of their allowances and also timely payment of their provincial hardship allowances among others.
The spokesperson of TFC, Alhassan Ceesay, said their sit-down strike will only come to an end if their demands are met. “We are so much disappointed that such kinds of threats are coming from the vice president who is also a legal luminary. I want to make it clear that our move is not politically motivated. Therefore, unless and until the authorities are willing to negotiate or meet our demands, we are not going back to school,” he emphasised.
According to Mr. Ceesay, over one thousand teachers are currently embarking on the sit-down strike across the country. “The government cannot do anything to us; beside the threat from Darboe is in fact encouraging us and putting us much stronger. We are not going to call off the sit-down strikes for the fact that the authorities are not respecting us.”
Ismalie Manga, chairman of the Network of Mission Teachers expressed disappointment over the threat issued by the country No. 2. “We were not expecting to receive threats from the authorities particularly from the VP. Therefore, our strike will continue so long our demands are not meet.”
The secretary general to the Task Force, Abdoulie Jallow, challenged other teachers to stand in solidarity with them, adding that their fight is for the betterment and welfare of all Gambians teachers. “The engagement we had with the authorities clearly manifests that teachers are not respected in the country. The struggle continues until our demands are met,” he said.
Mamut Jagne, a teacher at Kanifing Upper and Senior Secondary School who joined the sit-down strike yesterday said the threats issued by the vice president encouraged him and his colleagues to join the crusade.
The chairman of TFC, Babucarr Janko, and Modou Gaye both urged the authorities to address their demands or else they are not going back to schools.
Author: Momodou Jawo
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11713 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2018 : 14:30:19
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‘Teachers For Change’ Meet Vice President
Foroyaa: September 27, 2018
By Yankuba Jallow
http://foroyaa.gm/teachers-for-change-meet-vice-president/
‘Teachers for Change’ Task Force (TFC), Tuesday September 25th, met the Vice President Ousainou Darboe at his office, to discuss issues surrounding their sit-down strike.
Speaking to the press after meeting VP Darboe, the task-force officials disclosed that the meeting was to give him first-hand information on the constraints of teachers in the profession and the way forward. The Teachers Task Force indicated however, that they are not convinced with the outcome of their meeting with VP Darboe, and as a result, the sit-down strike will continue. The Vice President was not pleased with the insistence of the teachers strike action. He is reported to have told the delegation of government’s plan to terminate the services of teachers who continue strike action till 28 September 2018.
The Task Force leadership expressed disappointed as they were expecting solution not stern warnings. “He who feels it, knows it. And from the two hour meeting we had with the VP, we are not convinced that our demands will be met. As a result of this, our indefinite strike will continue until our demands are met,” they said.
Alhasan Ceesay, the PRO of the TFC explained that after a series of engagement with the authorities they believe should address their issues, the engagements yielded no dividend; that they have no other option but to embark on an indefinite sit-down strike, as a strategy to alert Government to address their demands.
“Teachers have been patient for a longtime, after engaging GTU and MOBSE to take our demands as genuine, to no avail. Now we have decided to sit down until these demands are met,” PRO Ceesay indicated.
Pa Musa Camara, the PRO of the Network of Mission Teachers made similar remarks. Camara expressed disappointment with both GTU and SESCO, for not taking the issues of the Mission Teachers seriously.
“Mission teachers, are being deducted and the deductions put in savings for them. But even a penny is not reflecting in our savings account,” Camara said.
On his part, Babucarr Janko, the Chairman of the TFC task-force said the salaries of the teachers are too low for a breadwinner.
Ismaila Manga also a member of the Executive said: ‘‘We are in a sit down strike until our demands are met by authorities.”
On his part, VP Darboe told the Teachers that he has engaged MOBSE and GTU on the issue, in order to provide solutions to their demands.
On salary increment, Darboe told the teachers that their salary cannot be increased alone, without increasing the salaries of other sectors in the civil service from benefiting; that they should reconsider the issue and return to their Schools to teach.
The Teachers said they told VP Darboe that the recent increment of transport allowance should commensurate with the provincial allowances, and a drawback should be paid to them dating from January to September; that VP Darboe told them that issue has been tackled and teachers will get their provincial and residential allowances with drawback, from July.
“On our demand for ID Cards, VP Darboe told us that the number of teachers in the country is just too large, and so the Ministry needs time to deal with matter. And because of our number, it will even be difficult for MOBSE,” TFC PRO explained; that VP Darboe told them that Trainee Teachers are not allowed to be posted in hardship zones unless under request, because World Bank funding does not cover them.
“I am appealing to the teachers to go back to School and focus, and in due course, your matters will be addressed. As teachers, you need to be committed in doing your work as Gambians,” VP Darboe concludes.
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More teachers join the strike after VP’s threat
