Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa
At last the government has paid 52bn/- as salary arrears that were formally claimed by primary and secondary school teachers in the country.
Minister for Education and Vocational Training Dr Shukuru Kawambwa said this in the House yesterday as he was responding to a supplementary question by Christowaja Mtinda (Special Seats, Chadema).
In her question, Mtinda had claimed that the government has failed to pay salary arrears to the tune of 27bn/- it owed primary and secondary school teachers.
Additionally, the lawmaker had also called for government explanation on the whereabouts of 500,000/- approved by the House last year as hardship allowances for teachers working in remote areas.
According to the legislator the money was spent on other activities in the ministry instead of those approved activity by the House.
In reaction, the minister said “until January this year, the government had already paid salary arrears it owed teachers.”
Dr Kawambwa said however that, following the evaluation that was undertaken between the Tanzania Teachers Union (TTU) and government officials, it was revealed that the government has a debt amounting to 52bn/- instead of the previous 29bn/-.
Following the government commitments, he said, the ministry has initiated different channels to acquire money to pay-back the debt.
In his view, the minister said introduction of the Human Management Information System will act as a solution to the long-term problem of salary arrears that the government had been facing.
Explaining on the 500,000/- hard ship allowance, the minister said, the government successfully obtained the amount from donors last year.
He said while implementing the strategy, the ministry faced stiff oppositions from doctors, nurses and pharmacists, among others working in the similar environment as to why they were not listed.
“So, we had to advise the donors that the money be spent in other areas while the government sorts out the complaints…that’s why the amount was used contrary to the set requirements,” he said.
