By John Kelly Marah
The President of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), Ibrahim Bankole Bangura, has called on the government to urgently prioritize education, stressing that the sector remains a flagship programme that requires sustained commitment and adequate funding.
Speaking during an interview with journalists, Bangura commended the media for highlighting issues of national importance and urged the government to take concrete steps to address challenges facing the education sector.
“We appreciate the work journalists continue to do. The message we want to send to government is clear: education is a flagship programme and must be treated with urgency and priority,” he said.
Mr. Bangura expressed concern over delays in the provision of teaching and learning materials, noting that schools should not have to wait for years before receiving essential resources needed to support effective teaching and learning.
He also criticized delays in the disbursement of school fee subsidies, arguing that timely financial support is critical if the government is committed to improving educational outcomes.
“If education is truly a flagship programme, then support to schools must be timely and consistent,” he stated.
The SLTU President further called on the government to engage teachers on issues relating to salaries and conditions of service without delay.
“Government should not allow time to pass before engaging teachers on salaries and working conditions. These issues must be prioritized because education is central to national development,” Bangura emphasized.
Drawing a comparison with the operations of the teachers’ union, he explained that the SLTU gives priority attention to its key programmes through regular budgetary allocations.
“As a union, we have flagship programmes that are prioritized in our monthly budget after salaries, allowances and statutory payments. We do not joke with these priorities, and government must adopt the same seriousness towards education,” he said.
Bangura also stressed that teachers do not take pleasure in embarking on industrial action, describing strikes as a last resort when all other avenues for dialogue have failed.
“We are not happy to go on strike because our own children attend public and government-assisted schools and are equally affected. Teachers also feel the impact. However, when every effort fails, strike action becomes the final option available to us,” he noted.
He concluded by urging the government to increase investment in education and proactively address teachers’ concerns to avoid disruptions in the country’s education system.