By Winifred Bulus
Namibian government is to increase 9 per cent of teachers and civil servants salary starting from April, 2017.
This was disclosed by the country’s finance permanent secretary, Ericah Shafudah in a notice given to offices, agencies and ministries in the country.
The promise for the increase was made in October, 2016 after the teachers countrywide went on a two-day strike for an 8 per cent salary increment and improvements to their condition of service.
The strike had hampered the national examination of the country’s grade 10 and 12 students and the examination had to be postponed.
The strike led to an agreement of increase of salary of teachers and civil servants in the country between the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) along with the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and the education ministry.
The increase is to take effect in April, 2017.
Shafudah said the salary increase is for Grades 1A to 15, including a 7 per cent adjustment to the transport allowance for staff below the management unit, and 7 per cent to the motor-vehicle allowance for management.
Nantu secretary general Basilius Haingura commended  the Namibian government for keeping to its promise.
“It will improve the lives of not just teachers, but all public workers. It started out as a fight for teachers, but in the end it benefited all. We must always stand together, and never be divided for fights such as this,” he stated.
