The NEWS (Monrovia)
Benjamin B. Sworh
15 May 2008
Ganta — Teachers of the Ganta United Methodist School have threatened to stage a go-slow action if their two months salary arrears are not settled.
Speaking to The News on condition of anonymity, the aggrieved teachers said they would begin their go-slow action next week if their arrears are not paid this week.
The teachers disclosed that the school owes them for March and April 2008, adding "We are afraid that even when May ends we will get pay."
The aggrieved teachers said although, they were in sympathy with the 12th and 9th graders who are expected to sit this year's WAEC Exams, but equally so, they need money to sustain their families.
According to our reporter who returned from Ganta, Nimba County Tuesday, students were seen sitting in their respective classrooms quietly without teachers, while others were loitering on the campus of the school.
A Female student who is sitting the WAEC exams said teachers have not attended classes for the past two weeks due to lack of pay.
She lamented that the situation was serious and needs urgent attention by authority of the school.
When the Principal of the School, Mr. John Gbelia was contacted, he could not confirm nor deny the go-slow action by the teachers. He assured that the institution would do everything possible to pay the teachers' arrears.
Mr. Gbelia admitted that the school was indebted to 20 teachers and other support staffs in the amount of US$3,000 as a result they are not regular in school.
Quizzed whether he was worried, Mr. Gbelia said, "I am more than worried because our students suppose to take their WAEC exams this month and if we don't prepare them better, they will fail".
According to him, tuitions from the students were insufficient for the upkeep of the institution. He revealed that plan is underway to downsize teachers and other support staff due to lack of fund to maintain them.
Asked whether the school receives subsidy from the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Mr. Gbelia said, "We don't get a dime from the church. We get our money from tuition and international partners abroad."
He is appealing to government and other international partners to come to the aid of the school.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The NEWS. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
