Teachers protest over transport, salary arrears

A group of young teachers representing over 600 of their colleagues in the Southwest Region, recently stormed the Regional Delegation of Secondary Education in Buea to protest against two years of salary arrears.

The angry teachers from Manyu, Mundemba, Ekondo Titi, Tombel and other areas further marched to the Governor’s office demanding for two years overdue transport allowances.

The transport allowances range from FCFA 100,000 and above depending on the distance the teachers had to move on their appointment. But in some cases, the authorities reportedly reduced the amount to meager sums ranging from FCFA 17,000 to FCFA 50,000.

The teachers said whereas their colleagues in other Regions had received their allowances they have not yet been paid theirs and no reason has been given for the delay.

At their Regional headquarters, the teachers said the Sub-Director snubbed them. They said the Sub-Director referred to their demands for allowances as baseless and primitive. According to them, the Sub-director faulted them for “abandoning their duty for mere transport allowance.”

When the Sub-Director refused to receive their letter of complaint, saying he would not allow them to talk to their Regional Delegate, Francis Ngundu, the protestors marched to the Governor’s where they were received by the Secretary General, Clement Fon Ndikum, who promised to look into the teacher’s plight.

The Secretary General explained that things have been slow at the Treasury because the Pay Master General was changed, a reason referred to as invalid by some critical teachers who were asking whether the Pay Master General has not been there for over two years.

Ndikum promised to discuss with the Secondary Education Regional Delegate by Friday, April 15, for the teachers to be paid by Monday, April 18, if possible. The teachers frowned at the fact that they have to compile documents, which the system already has before their transport allowances can be paid.

The irate teachers noted that in Bamenda their colleagues are paid promptly, irrespective of whether they compiled documents or not. In the Southwest, they said in cases where teachers do not compile documents, their allowances are reduced.