A group of Gambian teachers, The Gambia Teachers Union Young Teachers’ Platform, has written to the government to demand better pay and living conditions.

The group’s petition comes after government increased all civil servants salaries by 30%. 

It said teachers were not included in the pay increments. 

The group, which represents the interests of young teachers, said it conducted a meeting to discuss better pay and living conditions for their members.  

It said it has handed over a petition to the National Executive Committee of the Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) for onward transmission to the government.

“The position paper is a call for the NEC to institute an advocacy with government for the payment of allowances and or adjustment on the payable allowances to teachers. 

“The call for the advocacy with government is necessitated by the fact that teachers in the country are not sufficiently remunerated compared to the very challenging conditions they perform their roles, which could be a recipe for poor performance,” the group said in a statement shared with Gambiana.

“Teachers in the country perform their roles under very challenging conditions. Many of them especially in rural Gambia, sleep in stores and in least suitable and friendly environments. 

“This narrative has to change. The government must therefore recognise the crucial role of teachers in the development of the country. As such, government must take full responsibility to renumerate teachers accordingly,” the statement added.

The group stated in the position paper  to the NEC to pursue with government the payment of the following allowances to teachers: professional allowance, risk allowance, WAEC invigilation allowance, responsibility allowance and a review of the retention and graduate teacher allowance

The position paper indicated that the National Executive has until 15th September to update the petitioners on the progress of engagements with government.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba