Following stakeholders’ meeting
Protesting teachers of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) have abandoned their strike following a meeting with the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Samuel D. Tweah, Acting Minister of Education Latin Da-Thong, and the Superintendent of the System, Adolphus Benjamin Jacobs.
“We have resolved following the meeting to return to classes on Wednesday November 17, 2021 and we were in no way coerced to do so but trust the assurances from the government to address our plights”, says he President of the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers Association Augustine Nyormui.
Mr. Nyormui says they reached a fruitful decision in Tuesday’s (November 16) meeting held at the MCSS Head Office in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The Association had presented six-count demands to the government, among others, calling for the restitution of monies illegally deducted from teachers’ salaries since 2019, stabilization of teachers’ salaries to ease current fluctuation of their monthly salaries, payment of US$50,000 promised by the Minister of Finance Tweah as budgetary support to the System, the appointment of a new board superintendent, as the tenure of current Superintendent Benjamin Jacobs expires, adjustment of salaries for teachers who obtained bachelor degrees from teacher’s college.
Mr. Nyormui disclosed that following Tuesday’s meeting, the government agreed to pay US$50,000 to the MCSS by Friday, November 19, 2021, to augment its budget, adjust or stabilize teachers’ salaries effective December, and vet a new superintendent for the System. “Our one day action claimed the government’s attention and it was the first time since we started the campaign for us to meet the Finance Minister and it went well, we are grateful”, he says.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/liberia-ameu-and-mcss-sign-mou/ Editing by Jonathan Browne
