Covid-19 Task Force Committee chair
By Buba Gagigo
The Covid-19 Task Force Committee has described as ‘blatant misrepresentation of the situation’ the MoBSE statement on the payment of teachers’ Covid-19 allowance.
“Contrary to the proclamation of MoBSE officials at the press conference held on the 17th February 2022, the Covid-19 Task Force Committee, in the strongest possible terms debunks most, If not all the Information therein because it was a blatant misrepresentation of the situation on the ground,” the committee said in a statement dated 21st February 2022.
The task force accused the ministry of making ‘selective’ payment of teachers in the affected regions.
“Over 155 teachers are yet to be paid, and others are unaccounted for in some schools. There seems to have been some selective payments, as some teachers are paid, while others are not until this point, not even a single teacher is paid in some schools in Regions 1 and 3 on that account. The Task Force Committee hereby reaffirms its unwavering stance on the Sit-down strike until such a time that the insincerity stops and the needful is done,” the statement said.
The task force further expressed disappointment in the manner the Gambia Press Union (GTU) has handled the strike.
“Teachers for Change through writing had on several occasions, tried to engage the GTU on the confusing payment criteria and other pressing issues but since February 12th, our request seems to have fallen on deaf ears despite making persistent follow-ups. The GTUCCU again, communicated that they had received monies from the Government, and that teachers, including those without salary accounts with the CCU, should go to any GTUCCU branch to confirm payment.
“This, to the teachers’ dismay, was a far cry from the truth. We would not do justice to ourselves if we do not express our utter disappointment in the GTU for such cowardice and calling off their “attention-seeking” strike when very many teachers were and are not paid,” the statement concluded.