By Kadijatu Bangura | D.S Reporter
FREETOWN — Primary schools in Sierra Leone are receiving a paltry NLe10 per child as government subsidy, a situation the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union (SLTU) says is crippling the Free Quality Education programme and pushing teachers into abject poverty.
According to the Engage Salone report cited by the Union, junior secondary schools receive NLe40 per pupil and senior secondary schools NLe60 — amounts that have remained unchanged despite soaring living costs and inflation.
SLTU President B.T. Kargbo said the situation is even worse because of chronic delays in payment. He revealed that when the new school year started in September, schools had gone five months without receiving any subsidies, leaving auxiliary workers unpaid and school authorities stranded.
“That has forced some teachers to engage in petty trading or organise unofficial extra classes to supplement their incomes,” Kargbo said.
The subsidy crisis is compounded by poor salaries. Kargbo disclosed that about 60 percent of teachers, mainly in Grades 1 to 6, take home a net monthly salary of just NLe1,500, far less than public servants with comparable qualifications in other sectors.
“We all have HTC, Bachelor’s, Master’s. You have the primary head of school receiving the same salary,” he lamented, describing it as unfair and demoralizing.
Kargbo further highlighted the collapse in purchasing power, noting that in 2017 his NLe1,500 salary as a head teacher was equivalent to US$250, while his current NLe2,500 take-home pay is worth only about US$105.
He said the last collective agreement which gave teachers a 45 percent increase over three years has expired, and the Union is now demanding a new deal.
Responding to the concerns, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) said it is mediating between teachers and government. An official, Sankoh, admitted that “That is a legitimate concern,” and said TSC is engaging relevant ministries to ensure timely release of subsidies, though it is not directly responsible for payments.
Despite government allocating between 20 and 22 percent of the national budget to education under the Free Quality School Education programme, teachers warn the programme is at risk if subsidies and salaries are not urgently reviewed.
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