It was a story of lamentation as teachers recruited under the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Result, EDOSTAR Programme, an initiative of the governor Godwin Obaseki led administration to address inadequate teachers in Edo schools are threatening strike action over non payment of their salary for last six months.
They vowed not to resume work for the 2022/2023 academic session which commences in September unless they are fully paid their entitlements.
The affected teachers complained that, since March, 2022 when they were engaged, they have not been paid any salary. And when the State government eventually initiated payment last Thursday, August 25, only few of them received one month salary. That is, August salary.
One of the aggrieved teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity told Uptown Press that they were expecting to receive payment for six months, since they were deployed to work since March, but only received August payment while others are yet to receive at all.
“We were engaged since March this year and hope to be paid by August. Since we were engaged to do this work, we have not received any payment and we have been doing the work diligently in line with the guide and directives of our employer. Most of us travel far to do this work, we starve ourselves and families, we go into incurring debts to survive believing that by August, we will be paid all they are owing us. Now, it is time to receive our money, some receive one month and others were not paid at all.”
The aggrieved teachers called on the governor to intervene before resumption of new academic session
When this blog contacted the Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Ozavize Salami on the development, she said the Board is aware of the matter and a formal statement would be made soon.
The Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results (EdoStar) Teaching Fellows Programme was launched by the Edo State government in 2020 to ensure quality teaching and learning in public schools in Edo State.
It is a 3-year intensive training and field experience employment program for teachers and aspiring teachers who will be transited into the Edo State Public Service upon satisfactory job performance.
