By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
An Economist in the Local Government Finance Department yesterday disclosed at the Kenema City Council hall that Government would not pay the 2012 backlog subsidy for about thirty nine schools in the Kenema District. These schools did not receive the first and second terms subsidies for 2012 on the grounds they submitted their previous payment returns very late. Ibrahim Gibril Bureh said the respective schools did not receive the said payment because they failed to submit their documents on time. He said the payment would therefore cost government huge amounts of money. He also disclosed that payment for the third term subsidy for 2011/2012 had been remitted into the respective accounts of the Local Councils across the country and described the development as “welcome news” for head masters who had long anticipated payment to run their schools. When contacted the Chairman of Council of Head Masters in Kenema, Bosco Adu said it was shocking and frustrating that government was not prepared to pay the schools despite all their efforts. He said the schools had channelled their problems several times to the council but that no favourable action had been taken warning that the decision would greatly affect the schools in terms of running cost. Adu said that all the affected school heads claimed to have submitted their returns in good time but that they were delayed at the local council, something that was denied by the Finance Officer of the Kenema City Council. Information Officer of the Kenema City Council, Mohamed Kabba confirmed to Politico that payment had been made into the council accounts for third term of 2011/2012 academic year. Primary school headmasters recently met and issued a 21-day strike notice to the government over non-payment of their subsidies to effectively run their schools. The Government still owes a backlog payment to all primary schools for first and second terms of 2012/2013 academic year
