Freetown, 2nd September 2026 — As schools prepare to reopen next week, the President of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), Ibrahim Bankapoma Kargbo, has raised concern over systemic shortcomings that threaten the smooth resumption of classes.
Speaking on the Truth Morning Devotion program, Kargbo emphasized that while teachers are prepared to return to the classroom, the education system itself is lagging.
“Teachers are always ready, but the requisite materials they need are currently not available,” he said. “Teachers are ready but the system is not ready,” he emphasised.
According to Kargbo, several critical issues remain unresolved:
Unpaid subsidies: School fees subsidies for the third term of last year have not yet been disbursed. Auxiliary staff support: Materials and payments for school auxiliary staff remain outstanding and Payroll delays: Teachers who are not yet on the government payroll continue to go unpaid.
The SLTU President warned that these gaps undermine efforts to tackle examination malpractice and improve standards in the education sector. He stressed that without timely government action, the burden on teachers will increase, and the quality of learning may suffer.
As Sierra Leone’s schools prepare to reopen, the union’s concerns highlight the broader challenges facing the education system, from financing and resource allocation to accountability in service delivery.
