By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
Heads of over 160 primary and secondary schools in the Eastern Province were disappointed last week to learn at the treasury office in Kenema that their payment vouchers for March teachers’ salary have been withheld by the Ministry of Education.
According to the Accountant attached to the Sub Treasury office, the vouchers were withheld by the Ministry because the affected schools failed to submit their return vouchers for verification.
Samuel Ngegba said the school heads were aware that upon payment of salaries, the vouchers should be returned to the treasury.
He said those that had met the procedure collected their salaries at the bank and that he had collected vouchers for over 160 affected schools which he said he would take to Freetown before payment could be done.
However most of the head teachers have debunked claims by the Ministry that their salaries were not paid because they failed to return their vouchers. Most of those who spoke to Politico under anonymity said they had submitted their vouchers in good enough time.
One of them said he was with the view that the government was cash-trapped to pay all of the teachers at the same time. He said that just few secondary schools had been paid their girl child support while many other schools had not received theirs.
“We have noticed this unfortunate development for quite some time now that our government is proving unable to pay workers’ he said.
When contacted the Chairman Council of Principles, Micheal Samba admitted that the affected schools had not got their salaries. He said the schools didn’t return their vouchers in time. On the issue of the girl child support subvention, Samba also admitted that most of the schools had not got theirs. He said payment of the remaining schools shall commence soon when the process was settled
