On Monday, September 1, 2025, volunteer teachers marched to President Joseph Nyumah Boikal’s home in Paynesville to seek his intervention for their inclusion on the government payroll. Patrick Walker, the spokesperson for the National Volunteer Teachers Association, stated in a telephone interview on the OK FM Morning Rush that over 6,000 volunteer teachers underwent a vetting process conducted by the Ministry of Education.
Off this number, Walker explained that 3,000 teachers were selected and given assurances by the Minister of Education, Jarso Marlay Jallah, that they would be placed on the payroll by August of this year. Walker expressed that his colleagues have been waiting patiently and have met with the minister to remind her about the deadline, hoping to avoid negative feedback. However, he said all their efforts have been unsuccessful.
He emphasized that the continuous silence from the minister has prompted them to seek immediate intervention from the president, as many of them are parents with children who need to be enrolled in school. Walker stressed that they cannot continue to be left in the dark while the government keeps telling them to wait.
In response, Maxim Bletant, the Director of Press and Public Affairs at the Ministry of Education, urged the aggrieved volunteer teachers to remain calm and exercise patience, explaining that budgetary inclusion takes time and requires due processing. He claimed that the reason why the Ministry of Education is yet to include volunteer teachers on the payroll is that the National Budget for 2024-2025 has not been approved. Bletant added that Minister Jallah is doing everything possible to resolve the issue and incorporate these teachers into the government system and payroll.
By Lydia Goweh, Cub Reporter
