Teachers’ incentives to go as abuse rises

The permanent secretary for the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Dr Stephen Mahere said some teachers were abusing the system by punishing pupils from poor families that were failing to pay the incentives.

Dr Mahere, who was addressing teachers, parents, pupils and education officials at the presentation of the Secretary’s Bell to Chironde primary school in Shurugwi district, said some teachers were sending pupils home for non–payment of incentives which was against Government policy.

The secretary, however, said Government will only abolish incentives after improving the teachers’ salaries.
Dr Mahere said what the teachers should appreciate was that many parents, especially in rural areas, could not afford to pay the incentives and pupils should not be punished for that.
“We are aware that teachers’ salaries, like the rest of civil servants, are low but that should not be a licence to punish pupils from poor families by sending them home for non-payment of incentives,” he said.