By: Ilyasa Baa
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBESSE) has promised to improve on timeliness about the payment of school subsidies calling on heads of schools to follow strictly the guidelines set for the utilization of these subsidies.
According to the Minister, Dr. David Sengeh, there have been complaints over the utilization of the monies government is providing for the running of schools for every term in the school year. “Government will do better this year to ensure that government schools and those assisted by us receive their subsidies on time”, the Minister promised Sierra Leoneans after the festive season.
He said the payment of subsidies has been complex being that it took time to verify the number of pupils, the banks and the Board altogether was a heavy workload on the Ministry. He stressed the need for Head Teachers and Principals to religiously make use of the guidelines set on how the funds are to be used in the schools.
The Minister said by the end of 2023, the government will have constructed one thousand classrooms in all the districts. He said 261 classrooms have been built and are under review currently, adding that 106 classrooms had been handed over. He noted that 360 classrooms were constructed in 2019 and more will be constructed to de-congest the classrooms nationwide.
Dr. Sengeh said the Ministry would develop a policy to start giving incentives to community volunteers who have been helping to teach in various schools across the country.
It could be recalled that 9.1 % of WASSCE results were seized due to malpractice like having mobile phones in the possession of those that took the exam. Some did not see their results because their Principals lied to them that they were approved when they were not and could not pay the exam fees to the West African Examination Council (WAEC).