Teachers’ perks intact - BETUZ

THE Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ), has refuted claims that Government has scrapped allowances for teachers.

BETUZ Public and International Officer Obby Chisala said, the union is aware that for three months most of the teacher members have not received their salary related allowances due to the new changes made to the PMEC process.

Mr Chisala said, the changes are aimed at making PMEC system more efficient by coming up with stringent measures aimed at curbing abuse which will consequently restore some level of sanity on the system,

He said, this will ensure that only eligible officers are paid and in turn reduce on audit queries cited in the Auditors’ General report yearly.

“We would like to assure our teachers country that the union is doing everything possible to look into the situation in delayed salary related allowances.

As a union we are aware that for three months now teachers have not received their salary related allowances. The idea is that government has put up a new system where they want to seal all the loopholes, a situation where people who are not entitled ended up receiving the money and those who are entitiled could not receive,” he said.

Mr Chisala said “With these changes which have come as a union we are okay with them because we want to make savings particularly on the scarce resources we have as a nation.

He however said,the union has held several meetings with the government to ensure the process being undertaken is completed on time so that teachers can begin to access the allowances.