Govt to verify teachers pursuing studies

LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA

Deputy Minister in the President's Office (Local Government and Regional Administration) Selemani Jafo

THE government is out to conduct a thorough verification of teachers who are applying for further studies following reports that they are misusing the opportunity.

The decision was reached early last week, when Police in Mwanza Region arrested three teachers for ostensibly applying for leave to go for studies and medical treatment, while their intentions were to work in a private school within the region, and worse enough keep on receiving salaries from the government.

Speaking to the Daily News, Deputy Minister of State, President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities), Mr Selemani Jaffo said that the incident now calls for a thorough verification of teachers who will be permitted by the government to go for studies or any related leave.

“This incident tips us of a broad picture on the need to conduct thorough verification of all teachers who will be permitted to go for studies...and establish whether they are really pursuing such studies,” Mr Jafo said.

He said that after the countrywide verification of ghost workers, there was ongoing exercise to verify those who went for studies, adding that the Mwanza incident has given them a broad picture on how to conduct the exercise.

“From now we are going to issue new directives to the Regional Administrative Secretaries (RAS) to conduct thorough verification of those who are going for studies to establish whether they are really undergoing such studies,” he pointed out.

Mr Jaffo noted that the government will take stern measures against those who will be found to have misused the chance because it is contrary to the law. “This is sheer theft ...how can a person exploit the government while knowing very well that he is not fulfilling his duties,” the deputy minister queried.

According to reports by Police Force in Mwanza, the three teachers were being held for abandoning their work stations while they continued to receive salaries from the government. The Police report identified the suspects as Richard Mgendi (30), Rwiza Ntare (27) and Gilbert Makwaya (33) all were working at Musabe Secondary school in Mwanza.

It is alleged that Mr Mgendi was earlier teaching at Misasi Secondary School in Misungwi District, and in 2012, he was granted permission to go and study Master in Linguistics at St Augustine University, but he never returned to the school, although he kept on receiving his salary.

The report further alleged that Mr Ntare was assigned to teach at Kigongo Secondary School in Chato District, but in 2015 he informed his employer that he was going for treatment at Bugando Referral Hospital.