Education Minister, Geoffrey Lungwangwa says government has made a budgetary allocation of K 60 Billion that will go towards the payment of outstanding allowances for teachers through out the country.
Professor Lungwangwa said in Mazabuka this morning, government has since released K 11. 5 Billion which has been paid to teachers as leave benefits and settling allowances.
The minister who was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba said government is committed to ensuring that problems that hinder stability in the teaching fraternity are resolved.
And the Minister has commended teachers in Mazabuka for refusing to join the strike action by their fellow teachers.
Prof. Lungwangwa said in Mazabuka today when he paid a courtesy call on Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba that there is need for the teachers countrywide to emulate their counterparts in Mazabuka and give government ample time to conclude the negotiations.
He said the release of the K 11 Billion by his ministry for the payment of outstanding fixed band housing allowances is enough testimony of government commitment in addressing challenges facing teachers.
Prof. Lungwangwa said the Ministry of Finance has assured him that it will release the remaining balance payment on fixed band housing allowance in three installments, in a bid to overhaul the backlog of arrears.
He said government is not sitting idle but is doing everything possible to address the problems facing the education sector.
Speaking earlier, Mazabuka District Commissioner, informed the Minister that teachers in Mazabuka have rejected calls by the Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) provincial leadership to down chalks.
He said local union leaders from the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) , BETUZ and Secondary Education Schools Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) have been going round briefing teachers on the status quo regarding the salary negotiations.
He also commended government for injecting colossal sums of money towards infrastructure development.
Mr Hamaamba said government last year built 17 classrooms from the K 1.5 Billion released for infrastructure development adding that another K 2.2 Billion has this year been released for the construction 32 classrooms.
He also commended Mazabuka District Education Board Secretary for being instrumental in ensuring that the implementation of infrastructure development is enhanced.
ZANIS
We should cancel some zeros from our currency
we shall wait
please pay the teachers before someone gets ideas..please napalapata.
lets wait and c if everyone will be paid accordingly
Please give the people what belongs to them
On paper
I am sure accountants in provinces are salivating do have their hands on at least K57.2bn leaving K2.8 for the poor teachers some of whom might also be cheaters since they are producers of leakage during exams.
Do not just set aside, but also start paying them asap.
Don’t set aside imwe, awe! Quickly pay them. Henry Kapoko azabwela nafuti, ka.