Art lecturers go without pay
Part-time lecturers at the College of the Arts (COTA) are up in arms over the non-payment of salaries last month, saying this has caused immense discomfort as they were unable to pay rent or their children's school fees.
“I have been chased out of my accommodation and have been living in the toilet on the COTA premises,” said a distraught Peter Mwahalukange, who has been teaching visual arts at the centre for 26 years.
He said the head office of the ministry of education, arts and culture had stopped all payments to part-time staff for at least a month and a half.
Mwahalukange said the arts directorate had indicated that they would be paid in the second week of May, but by the end of last week, no payment had been received.
He said he had to sell his cellphone to pay his child's school fees.
“I want the nation to know that something must be done on time so that we can deliver education to our people. It was good that arts education was introduced in the country. Art is part of life; we need it everywhere. It heals and helps people. But I am sick and tired of having to wait for my salary. It is as if I am working on a voluntary basis,” Mwahalukange said.
The education ministry says the delay in the payment of the April salaries of staff attached to the National Arts Extension Programme (NAEP) was because 58 part-time lecturers are being transferred to full-time employment after their part-time contracts expired at the end of March.
A spokesperson at the ministry, Absalom Absalom, said the affected staff members could not assume duties in April because their letters of appointment were only ready for signing on Friday, 10 May.
“Some of the letters had to be corrected on Monday, 13 May, and delivery of staff members started on 14 May. The ministry is doing everything possible for the staff members to be paid their salaries before the end of May,” Absalom said.
Absalom last week said the approval of the new contracts was only received from the Office of the Prime Minister on 15 May.
STAFF REPORTER
“I have been chased out of my accommodation and have been living in the toilet on the COTA premises,” said a distraught Peter Mwahalukange, who has been teaching visual arts at the centre for 26 years.
He said the head office of the ministry of education, arts and culture had stopped all payments to part-time staff for at least a month and a half.
Mwahalukange said the arts directorate had indicated that they would be paid in the second week of May, but by the end of last week, no payment had been received.
He said he had to sell his cellphone to pay his child's school fees.
“I want the nation to know that something must be done on time so that we can deliver education to our people. It was good that arts education was introduced in the country. Art is part of life; we need it everywhere. It heals and helps people. But I am sick and tired of having to wait for my salary. It is as if I am working on a voluntary basis,” Mwahalukange said.
The education ministry says the delay in the payment of the April salaries of staff attached to the National Arts Extension Programme (NAEP) was because 58 part-time lecturers are being transferred to full-time employment after their part-time contracts expired at the end of March.
A spokesperson at the ministry, Absalom Absalom, said the affected staff members could not assume duties in April because their letters of appointment were only ready for signing on Friday, 10 May.
“Some of the letters had to be corrected on Monday, 13 May, and delivery of staff members started on 14 May. The ministry is doing everything possible for the staff members to be paid their salaries before the end of May,” Absalom said.
Absalom last week said the approval of the new contracts was only received from the Office of the Prime Minister on 15 May.
STAFF REPORTER
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