By Adama Makasuba
Seven hundred teachers on the pay roll Catholic Education Secretariat have decided to launch an indefinite strike over a seven million dalasis arrears.
The body has been also accused of deducting salaries and benefits of its teachers since September last year, with the issue triggering the intervention of Gambia Teachers Union.
Speaking during an emergency news conference on Monday, GTU deputy secretary general Essa Sowe said: “The government and catholic secretaries must ensure that all money deducted from these teachers amounting to seven million plus must be paid [or] failure of which the teachers will consider their engagement in the classroom.”
Mr Sowe added: “We are talking about six-million dalasi for CESCO, and one million dalasi for the duty of GTU probably we are talking about seven to eight million that they owning from their hard-monthly money so this money must be paid.
“The leadership and management of GTU observe with deep regrets that our teacher who are under catholic secretaries have been deducted from their salaries, money which is meant for their social economic wellbeing.”
Babucarr O Joof, GTU general manager also said: “The teachers are not going back unless and until we know where all this money is, and we access to it and send it to right account, then the teachers will go back to work as this is the position of the teacher and the GTU.”
He however called on both the ministry of basic and secondary education and Catholic Education Secretariat to come together and look for lasting solution to the problem.
