Limpho Sello
SCHOOL principals this week rejected the new contract presented to them by the Ministry of Education and Training (LESPA), arguing it was drafted without their input and prejudiced them.
This follows a meeting the principals held last week at the Examination Council of Lesotho Hall in Khubetsoana under the auspices of the Lesotho Schools Principals Association (LESPA).
LESPA Vice President, Ramatla Varkey this week told the Lesotho Times that they rejected the proposed five-year contract for principals because it gave the false impression of a consensus between the employer and the employee yet it contained clauses they did not agree with.
“LESPA members said any contract must be a joint venture between the employee and the employer but in this case, the employer is imposing the contract for five years for principals,” Mr Varkey said.
He said they also had a problem with the previous performance contract where the government had not paid the gratuity of teachers upon the expiry of the contract because the government had not saved the 25 percent of the salary.
“The previous performance contract came to an end and government did not pay the agreed gratuity of 25percent of the salary. LESPA members felt that gratuity should be 50percent like other southern African countries in the new contract,” Mr Varkey said.
“Again, in the new contract the principals are expected to resign their present teaching positions and this is not acceptable due to the fact that their terminal benefits will be affected,” he said.
“The principals said the remuneration package is very low in comparison with Swaziland and Botswana. In South Africa, principals’ salaries are much higher and they would prefer the same for Lesotho,” he said.
“We called a meeting to discuss the draft and the principals are not happy at all so we call on the Ministry of Education to make amendments so that the concerns are fixed.”
The Chief Education Officer, Maselloane Sehlabi was not reachable for comment as her mobile phone rang unanswered.
