On Friday 12th July 2019, the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education and the Tertiary Education Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with seven Tertiary Educational Institutions to integrate the salaries of workers of the said Tertiary Educational Institutions into the Government centralized computerized payroll systems.
This ceremony which took place at the Ministry’s Conference Hall George Street Freetown attracted principals and administrative heads of the various Universities and Colleges from Njala University, Ernest Koroma University, Milton Margai College of Education Science and Technology, and others.
The Principal Deputy Financial Secretary (PDFS) Mathew Dingie in his opening remarks stated that the objective of this MOU is to computerize the payroll for both academic staff and administrative staff of the Universities and Colleges to be paid centrally to their individual personal accounts.
The Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education Dr. Turad Senesie said the signing of this MOU will help stop the delay of the lecturers’ salaries which was due to the fact that lecturers were paid from the quarterly subventions from the central government. He continued that, this development will also bring a smile to the faces of their families and enhance given quality lectures at the end of the day.
He assured them on behalf of the Ministry of Finance that, the delay of their salaries will be a thing of the past as the New Direction administration takes the welfare of lecturers as a priority to ensure quality tertiary education.
Professor Alghali, Chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission in his statement said, the government has reduced the burden of late payment of salaries to Tertiary institutions and also spoke on the need to improve on coordination among the different parties on issues relating to replacement and recruitment of lectures. Therefore, the chairman urged the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education to quickly respond to such request when seen.
Speaking before signing the MOU the Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa said, this activity has justified the reason for the separation of the two Ministry of Education into the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School.
In outlining the component of the MOU, the Minister mentioned that the government will pay the basic Salaries, PAYE, NASSIT and allowances such as Rent, Transport, Medical, and Annual leave allowances. Also, The Tertiary Educational institutions will pay salaries and other payroll costs to Associate staff of the different Tertiary Educational Institutions from their subventions or revenue they generate.
“This new arrangement is in line with the general public expenditure reforms undertaken by the Government and will also address the challenges of delay in the payment of salaries of lecturers and other workers of universities, colleges, and polytechnics,” says Jacob Jusu Saffa
The seven Tertiary Educational Institutions are Njala University, Ernest Bai Koroma University, Milton Margai Teachers College of Education and Technology, Freetown Teachers College, Bonthe Technical Institute and the Eastern Polytechnic. The Government is still engaging the administration of the University of Sierra Leone to finalize arrangements, before their inclusion into the centralized computerized Government Payroll System.