Money available to pay overtime to teachers and health professionals – Chapo

Maputo, 27 Feb (AIM) – Mozambican President Daniel Chapo says that his government now has money available to pay overtime to teachers and health professionals, who have repeatedly gone on strike in protest at the government’s failure to pay for overtime.

Over the past few years, the teachers have also been demanding the improvement of the education system, threatening not to work with classes of over 100 pupils, since overcrowding has been harming the quality of education. They also threaten to boycott the second shift of lessons, if the government does not pay for the overtime which they claim is in arrears.

Chapo, who was speaking on Wednesday to state employees at a meeting held in Pemba, capital of the northern province of Cabo Delgado, promised that “the payment will begin within this week or next week.”

According to Chapo, there is also a need to resume important administrative acts, such as promotions, progressions and career changes, which have been stagnant for some time.

“I’m already aware of the main concerns of public servants and the Executive is committed to finding concrete answers”, he said. “After the 2025 budget is approved, the government will work towards implementing these measures and we will gradually solve the concerns of state employees and continue to promote peace and harmony”.

Regarding the delay in paying newly-hired members of the public administration, especially in the education and health sectors, as a result of bureaucratic procedures, Chapo said he is working to solve the issue with human resource managers.

“We know that there is another concern in the province, and in the districts, especially in education and health, where there are colleagues who apply for jobs, then are accepted and start working, but there is a very long gap between starting work and being paid their wages”, he said.
(AIM)
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