General Education Minister David Mabumba says his ministry will soon engage stakeholders to ascertain the number of retired teachers who have not been paid.

Some of the 25 retired teachers at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School in Lusaka who were evicted from government houses recently had complained that a number of their colleagues died due to depression as a result of not receiving their dues.

Mabumba had earlier argued that all the retirees that had been evicted were paid their benefits, advising that those that disputed being paid must present documents so that the situation could be corrected.

But in an interview with News Diggers! Wednesday, Mabumba said the ministry was yet to schedule a meeting with stakeholders to find out which retirees had been paid.

“We are supposed to have a meeting this week. We had a brief meeting but I think we agreed to set another date where we will meet and look at case by case. So that meeting hasn’t taken place yet. We had wanted to discuss those particular matters when all of us are around as stakeholders not me as minister, no! So that meeting was scheduled to take place this week. Whether it is going to take place, I am not too sure. But all the documents are there,” Mabumba said.

“Go to my District Board Secretaries (DEBS) and say ‘we have this particular retiree claiming that they have not been paid can I see the documents.’ I am sure they will be kind enough. It is better to get the information from the operative. So that when you write stories, you are writing stories backed by facts.”

Asked if he was aware of the number of teachers who had been retired but not paid from Kabulonga Boys Secondary School, Mabumba said: “No no I can’t give you those answers! Until when we have a meeting. The information is already there!”