Maravi

'Levy is contradicting MMD policies on free education'

'Levy is contradicting MMD policies on free education'
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tuesday May 29, 2007 [04:00]

THE Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) general secretary Roy Mwaba has accused President Levy Mwanawasa of being inconsistent over his government's intention to extend free education to Grade 12. Reacting to President Mwanawasa's statement during a campaign rally in Kapoche, Mwaba said President Mwanawasa's sentiments lacked morality. During a public rally in Petauke, President Mwanawasa said the government would consider extending free education to Grade 12 as long as civil servants moderately demand for salary increments.

"It is most unfortunate that the President is contradicting the MMD policies on free education," Mwaba said.

He said it was sad that a few months after Parliament unanimously voted for the extension of free education from grade 9 to 12, President Mwanawasa could issue such contradicting statements.

"We are very disappointed with the President's remarks," Mwaba said. "There must be consistency in the leadership so that we do not compromise on things we have already applauded."

Mwaba said ZNUT would continue to press for the extension of free education to Grade 12. He said President Mwanawasa should not politicise the issue of extending free education to Grade 12.

He also urged President Mwanawasa not to forget the promises he made to improve civil servants' working conditions prior to last year's general elections. Mwaba said instead of calling on the civil servants to moderate their demands on salary increments, President Mwanawasa and his government must commend them for their sacrifices.

"He (President Mwanawasa) must thank us for having accepted the 16 per cent," he said.
He said civil servants based their demands for increased salaries on social and economic statistics provided by the government itself. When the President is telling us to be moderate over our demands for salary increment, there is no morality in that statement," Mwaba said. "When you look at the food basket released by the Central Statistical Office, the lowly paid worker gets K1.8 million and that is government statistics."

He said when the government calls on the public service workers to minimise their wage demands, it must do so in reference to what was highlighted in the monthly food basket.

Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, EDUCATION, MMD, ZNUT

posted by MrK @ 5:02 AM