By Bebi Oosman and Abigail Headley
With the teachers’ strike in its sixth day yesterday, positions hardened on both sides with the government vowing to deduct monies from those on the picket line and the GTU vowing to go court over the matter.
A public notice signed by the permanent secretaries of the ministries of education and local government said that they had received from the 11 education districts a list of teachers who have not reported for duty at their assigned schools and who have not received the necessary leave approval and/or permission during the school week ending February 9th 2024.
“This unauthorized absence constitutes a breach of their conditions of service and their statutory duties and attracts legal sanctions”, the notice said.
As a result, the ministries advised that the teachers will not be paid for the days on which they were absent without permission and this “will be reflected in the March 2024 salaries in accordance with the law”.