Students Stage Strike Demanding Their Unpaid Allowances At KU - TTC

Kasungu Teachers Training CollegeProtest

There was chaos along the M1 road and other roads of Kasungu Wednesday as angry student teachers from the Teachers Training College (TTC), clad in red T-shirts with others went bear footed, while chanting songs saying "cash gate isatikhudze, tikufuna zathu basi" carrying placards' bearing the same message.

They went straight to petition their grievances to the District Education Managers (DEM) office explaining issues which have rocked their well-being at the institution.

Business came to a standstill as they stopped any car that wanted to pass by and also frightened to beat passersby.

According to reports sourced by Mana, the student teachers most of them allegedly have gone three months without being paid their K1,500 monthly allowances. Their unpaid allowances date back to November last year till now.

Speaking in an interview with Mana at the DEM office even though the DEM was reportedly out upon their arrival, the school president Chancy Felix Mwakilama said they are stranded as they do not have anything to keep them going through their training despite various peaceful efforts to demand their freedom.

"Our principal [Staliko Chibwe] promised that whenever we will be coming back from the last term holiday, everything would be sorted out.

"Three months have gone now without our money, mostly the affected ones are students who have their accounts at National Bank who have stayed for four months now without their pay" lamented Mwakilama.

He further said that despite their tireless efforts to follow up the matter, nothing materialized so they just thought it wise to go on demonstrating to the public so that something better could come out.

"Can the Ministry decentralize the payment system like what is being done in most TTCs who get their allowances processed at the district council. Why only us getting through the accountants general, this is really causing havoc?" explained Mwakilama.

Reports show that despite the delay in being paid their allowances, the college is still facing hardships a situation that is affecting hygienic standards as currently it does not have running water from Central Region Water Board; thereby forcing the students to scramble for one borehole at the campus with the surrounding community and also members of staff.

Moreover, the students say the situation has worsened with the bedbugs which had forced the students to start sleeping along the college corridors abandoning their comfort mattresses' in fear of the irritating insects. The situation is said to have affected their daily routines as they are prone to dozing once bitten by the said bedbugs (msikidzi).

The students staged a vigil at the DEM's office waiting to be addressed, since morning till afternoon hours waiting also for the manager's arrival.

The college is for the second time seeing its students going on strike after IPTE 8 students who also went on rampage last year forcing police to fire tear gas.

Approximately, Kasungu TTC Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE 9 program) has more than 830 students and that each is demanding a total sum of K4, 500 and that the conditions mentioned should be dealt with immediate effect or else they would continue with their hunger strikes, boycotting of classes and organizing the vigils at the school premises.