The Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia-BETUZ has disclosed that government is owing over K3 million in allowances to teachers on the Copperbelt.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, BETUZ Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson Aaron Kunka has since asked government to pay teachers who are owed money such as settling in allowances and leave allowances among other allowances.
Kunka said government does not only owe teachers on the Copperbelt but also owes teachers around the country adding that the over K3 million being owed to teachers dates as far back as 2010 hence the need for government to begin paying off this debt.
“We can equally talk about those who have retired, there are some who are still being owed in leave days so we urge government to ensure that they clear this backlog”, he said.
He explained that the role of the union is to rehearse with government and remind the administration to meet its obligations as well as advocate for better conditions for its teachers.
The Provincial Chairperson noted that previously, government told the union that it did not have money to pay the teachers for allowances and promised that it will pay at an appropriate time.
Kunka said he hopes that with the new government, things will change and the teachers will be given what is due to them.
“We are appealing to government, just like they have paid the pensionaries let them equally settle all the teachers in various allowances because the longer it takes the more the money loses value so by the time they will be paid it will no longer be the same value as the time they started work”, he said.
