Over 130 retired teachers and support staff of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) say they want “decent retirement,” if not, then they should be reinstated into the classroom by the government.
They believe that “decent retirement” will give them that integrity, having spent over 40 years of public service in the classroom molding the minds of the country’s tomorrow people, some of whom are serving in private and public sectors today.
Mr. Christian Kegbeh, spokesman of the aggrieved retirees under the banner “Unconstitutional Retirees,” said they deserved to be “honorably retired” but that should include their severance pay and benefits as well.
He said some of the retirement letters issued to them had separate dates, same content or message, but were not duly signed by the Monrovia Consolidated School System’s Superintendent, Samuel Jacobs.
Kegbeh stated because of that they are suspicious of the communication they received which affected nearly all of the MCSS schools including D. Twe High, Jewel Howard-Taylor, Charles Williams Brumskine and other schools’ teachers.
He however also believes that their retirement was without prior notification of 1 year which would have prepared them as it was done in the past instead of been done abruptly which is not correct.
“The actual retirees who received retirement letters are 131 teachers and support staff. These people’s names have been deleted from government’s wage bill or payroll almost 4 months now,” he noted.
Kegbeh’s statement was buttressed by an array of affected teachers during the news conference including MacArthur Wlutobo, Abraham Wanbo, Harrison T. Geodeo, Jacob Morlu, Georgia Caine and Jarka Toe.
According to them they were summoned on Friday, August 28 this year at MCSS Central Office in Monrovia.
There and then, they continued: “They were informed by MCSS Assistant Superintendent, Rosetta Sherman, that their names were listed for retirement.”
They stated among many things that the statement informing about their retirement was made in the presence of a team from the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
However, in a letter dated September 9, 2020, sent to James Thompson, Director General of the Civil Service Agency/Commission from the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers’ Association (MCSSSTA) raised some issues on behalf of the retirees.
The three issues that were not given prior notice or official written communication to that effect, the retirees have been denied their August 2020 salary, when they were told on Saturday, August 29, 2020, and yet, they are still working for the month of September, 2020, and there had been no sign of smooth transition from regular payroll to the pension payroll.
“In view of the above, the Association which is the mother organization of all MCSS employees wishes to bring these issues to your attention through a dialogue urgently,” the letter signed by Benjamin B. Julu, Executive Secretary, and Veto V. Garway, President stated.
But in a retirement letter dated August 20, 2020, and addressed to the retirees stated, “Kindly accept our compliments and be informed that as per the CSA Standing Orders chapter 3.5.1 Retirement; you have reached the required age of 60 and above for pension.”
It continued, “ The CSA has deleted your names from the payroll for August 2020 and your documents regarding your pension benefits are currently being processed by the MCSS Human Resource Management Office through the CSA for onward submission to the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).”
The communications believed to be under the signatures of the Director, Human Resource Management, and Superintendent of MCSS concluded by thanking the retired teachers for their dedicated services rendered Liberian children in helping mold their minds and in building a vibrant educational system of the country.