Inhambane: Hundreds of teachers unpaid for almost half a year

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Inhambane: Hundreds of teachers unpaid for almost half a year

8:44 CAT | 06 Aug 2018

File photo: Deutsche Welle

Nearly 450 Provincial Education Directorate in Inhambane province in southern Mozambique have not been paid their salaries since February. Authorities acknowledge there is an issue with the payment system, but say they do not have a solution.

Teachers say they have already tried to find out the reasons for the delay, but the answer is always the same: they promise to solve it as soon as possible, but still the problem continues.

A teacher from Inhambane, who spoke to DW Africa on condition of anonymity, says life is increasingly difficult.

“We have not been paid yet. We have tried at provincial, district and state levels, as well as through the provincial deputy director of finance. They promise to solve it within a short time, but it never happens. Even my family don’t believe you can not be paid for so long. A person who works should be paid,” he says.

Administrative disorganisation

Authorities say it is a problem in the payment system, which does not recognise the teachers. Acácio João, head of the human resources of the Inhambane Provincial Education Directorate, explains that the teachers were hired by this entity before instructions were received from the finance department. Since payments are now made electronically – the so-called ‘e-sheet’ – and many teachers are not yet registered, and the payment system does not recognise them.

“Since last year, salary processing is done via the ‘e-sheet’ system, but we have no way of registering the teacher to receive his salary from before that date,” João explains.

Mosambik Maputo Daniel Chapo — Inhambame Governor David Chapo calls for speedier administrative procedures

The problem is not lack of money

Inhambane Governor Daniel Chapo regrets the situation the teachers find themselves in. Some haven’t received salaries since the school year began in February. Chapo is demanding faster administrative processing to avoid such embarrassment.

“These wages are not delayed due to lack of state money, but because people who were hired was not registered in the system in good time, because now salaries are paid via ‘e-sheet’. The teacher is there at school, teaching, but the system does not recognise that he exists,” he says.

Source: Deutsche Welle