13 Mar 2013

Parliament has been informed that even though the Ministry of Education and Skills Development did not budget for 2011/12 teachers' overtime allowance, circumstances forced the ministry to pay P 4 551 313. 80 as overtime allowance to 2 501 teachers as a result of the national industrial strike that took place from April 18 to June 13, 2011.

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Patrick Masimolole said this when responding to a question from the MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi.

Mr Masimolole said in the 2011/2012 fiscal year, the ministry’s budget for in-service teacher training was P68 173 620 while the actual spending was P60 864 296.

He explained that the budget for text books was P94 154 420 while expenditure was P100 889 668.

The assistant minister said there was no budget for procurement of teacher’s houses in the financial year 2011/2012, but due to critical need for teachers accommodation, funds were made available to procure 102 housing units, which consisted of 24 one bedrooms and 78 two bedrooms at the cost of P71 680 000 value added tax inclusive.

MP Mmolotsi had asked the minister to state the amount budgeted in 2011/2012 financial year and the actual expenditure of teacher training, procurement of textbooks, procurement of teacher’s houses and teachers’ overtime allowance. ENDS