April 14, 2021
By: Musa Bai Sesay
The Hon. Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh recently updated press men about his ministry’s achievements. While giving the update, Dr. Sengeh said it’s not matter of questioning whether there is quality education or not, but rather a question about what has positively changed, using variables to discuss those changes effected. He unequivocally stated that there is quality education.
The Minister pointed out that his ministry has been able to recruit over Five thousand (5,000) teachers, reassessed over four thousand (4,000) teachers, trained over ten thousand (10,000) teachers, expanded the Teaching Service Commission to all the district and well equipped, developed over a dozen teacher policies on retention, recruitment and placement of teachers.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education further stated that in 2019, the Ministry gave ten percent (10%) transportation allowance to teachers, adding that in 2020, they added thirty percent (30%) salary increase for teachers. He said about four thousand teachers who were on one level grade have been promoted and put on a different pay grades.
Dr. Sengeh said, most times when people ask questions like what the ministry has done for teachers, he sees that as a distraction. He however, stated that the ministry acknowledges the challenges that many teachers need pin codes, said unfortunately they couldn’t employ all teachers even if they want to.
Dr. Sengeh maintained that the ministry has also embarked on restructuring adding that they now have a Research and Curriculum Directorate unit within the ministry.
“We have done about 70% of what we said we would do in the manifesto, and the rest of the thirty 30% we have started,” he said.
The Minister stressed that there is no basic education commitment that they said and had not started and stated firmly that they will remain committed to do 100% of them.
Dr. Sengeh further mentioned that they have employed one hundred and sixty (160) new inspectors of schools and thirty plus education officers.
