Following the announcement by the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) of a sit-down strike action to take effect on June 16th, 2022, the National Council for Civic Education and Development on Monday 6th June, 2022 held a dialogue meeting with the Executive members of the Teachers Solidarity Movement (TSM). The Teachers Solidarity Movement (TSM) is a movement that has identified itself as a pressure group that is advocating for better wages and conditions of service for teachers across the country.
During the discussion at NaCCED’s Steward Street conference room, the Chairman for TSM Mr. Mohamed Sallieu Khan, said there has been lack of direct engagement and update from the bottom to top structure within the educational sector. He said their sit down strike action is a way to get their voices reach directly to their top employers or the President of the country. “We are actually here finding a platform to lobby so that our message will meet the President, for the him not to see us as some dissidents that have come to disrupt his government,” he said.
He expressed optimism that in the processes of resolving the issue with the teachers, it will be a pat on the back of the government.
“For any step government takes to address to our issue, it is a plus to his government. Wherever we arrive at will be a plus, especially if government adhere to even just one-third of our demands,” he added.
Mr. Khan refuted allegations of the movement being an anti-government, rebellious group, making unreasonable demands on government. He said lobbying has been a major approach they have been using to advocate for their needs. He described the teachers as the drivers of quality education, but stated that financial and other welfare challenges affect their effective delivery in the classrooms.
The Western Regional Coordinator for the movement, Abdul Turay, expressed appreciation to NaCCED’s Chairman for the intervention which he described as “a brilliant effort to get teachers back in the classroom.” On Chairman Totangi’s request for them to urge their colleagues to return to the classroom, Mr. Turay stated that there needs to be a clear message and status update on the negotiation process from the government that they should take back to their colleagues. “We have to bear in mind that we are dealing with other colleagues and we need to have a message that we will convey to them. So far so good, negotiations are ongoing but we are not opportune to know exactly what government is planning for teachers,” he said. He added that the teachers who are currently on strike are expecting a message from the movement. “If you go to the teachers and talk to them you must give them a message and what message are you going to convey to them, is it positive? Is it what we are expecting to hear?” he noted.
He said they were “expecting government to be updating teachers about what is happening in the negotiation process. And if we are negotiating for the welfare of teachers it should be time bound.”
Mr. Turay admitted that “even though they as teachers are not happy with the non-effectiveness of the school setup and the current status of the pupils, but they could not ignore their own welfare as well.”
Edrick Sheriff Barrow, an Executive Member of the TSM, lamented the current teacher’s salary, which he said does not complement the current cost of living. He advised that the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education should have a public Relations Officer to lead the engagements, because “teachers are irritated by some of the utterances of Minister Sengeh”.
Donald Gbateh, the Western Urban Coordinator who said he has been teaching for seventeen (17) years, bemoaned the plight of teachers, and what he called their “unfair treatment”. He admonished NaCCED’s Chairman to intervene on their behalf and to champion their cause.
Responding to their concerns, NaCCED’s Chairman Mr. Kalilu Totangi started by noting that he was also a teacher. He complimented the quality of the submissions made by the representatives of the movement. “I am very pleased that you have picked yourself as people who are capable to lead others and articulate what their grievances are without malice.” He assured them of having a clear understanding of the concerns and therefore informed the TSM members that his role as a Civic Educator “is in promoting dialogue and creating cohesion.” He disclosed that he has been actively involved in the dialogue engagements with government stakeholders to find amicable outcome to the current teachers’ crisis. “I have been doing background engagements with the Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission, the Minister of MBSSE, and other colleagues that are interested in getting an amicable outcome of the negotiations,” he said.
Mr Totangi added that they have “resolved that it was important to listen to the teachers and also encourage government to find ways and means to meet them halfway. It was also clear that while the negotiations are going on it is also important that all sides maintain a level of flexibility for a mutual understating on the issue.” He disclosed that apart from discussing with the teachers, he has also been lobbying for their demands to be considered, but admonished them to see reasons to call on their colleagues across the country to try as much as possible to return to work while the negotiations are going on. He therefore called for a middle ground for negotiations as the deadline or ultimatum given by the teachers came at a time the annual budget has already been read. He assured the teachers that their demands are valid but informed them that the government cannot meet the deadline for their demands. “Your demands are legitimate but the government is challenged at the moment. Can there be a middle ground? Is there some place that we can meet so that nobody leaves here with eggs on the face?”
The NaCCED Chairman said he has been also serving as a liaison between them and officials of MBSSE and the TSC. He said he will relay the concerns that have been raised by the aggrieved teachers at the appropriate levels. He admonished them to exercise restraint during these challenging times. The parties agreed to meet again to further discuss solutions to the problem.
