The Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) has called on the Gambia government to not reduce its existing education budget this year if it cannot increase it.

Ismaila S. Ceesay, president of the Gambia Teachers Union, speaking on Wednesday during the opening of the Union’s national delegates congress at Paradise Suites Hotel, told government: “We do not want a single butut to be removed from the education budget this year. Even whereas the government cannot meet the ECOWAS target, let it make sure it reaches 90 percent.”

Mr Ceesay pointed out that “if we want to be serious as a nation we must not ignore” the most important stakeholder, the teachers.

He said the government and the private sector must take bold steps to invest in education for quality service delivery. He also called on government to “bring back” the new pay structure.

He also said that they were working with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) to see that the School Improvement Grant (SIG) was increased as well as the retention allowance and double shift allowance and were hopeful that the ministry would defend their proposal at cabinet level.

“We are calling on government in no small term to invest on the teachers so that we can attain the quality education we are all yearning for,” he appealed, saying: “It is not the structures and beauties within schools that are going to impact knowledge on students but the teachers and they need to be highly motivated in order to be ready to serve unconditionally.”

The GTU president says that when a teacher is happy he gives his all in the job.

He observed that every year when GABECE and WASSCE results are out, there is always a blame game about who is responsible for the poor results, saying for that to end, government must invest on the teacher.