By Nasratu Kargbo
Retirement and Recruitment of teachers in Sierra Leone will be done once a year, according to the Public Relations Officer at the Teaching Service Commission Jammie Victory Sankoh. She told Politico the initiative which is to be effected at the end of every academic year, will enhance a smooth flow in the educational calendar.
She said government has approved the policy which she stated will address disruption in the smooth flow of the academic year, saying if a teacher leaves half way during the academic year, it will be a difficult transition for the pupils. In view of that problem, Sankoh said that is why the commission together with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education decided that teachers will only retire and be recruited at the end of the school year.
On the passing away of a teacher or the exiting the school, she explained that in any of the circumstances, other teachers with multiple subjects capabilities can step in until the academic year ends. Should the same happen with subjects such as French and Arabic, she said the affected school can notify the commission, which will then engage the ministry for a teacher to be recruited.
Speaking on the retirement aspect of the policy, Sankoh explained to Politico that changes have been made, explaining with example, she said if a teacher turns sixty in January, the policy will ensure that the teacher continues to render his/her services until the end of the academic year. She further explained that before now the when a teacher turns sixty in January or any other month before the academic year, they were immediately retired.
In addition, she said in the new policy the retirement age for teachers of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics is now 65.
The Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) Alieu Deen Conteh said the aspect of recruitment might have been done due to budgetary considerations. He explained that according to the budget read by the minister of finance, there is already an allocation on the number of teachers that should be recruited.
He commended the commission and the ministry for the retirement policy, a representation which he claimed the union made two years ago for teachers not to be retired in the middle of the school year.
He also spoke on the pin code problem amongst teachers, stating that some teachers continue to serve without it. He further explained that others that have taught for a year or two and having pin code still face difficulties in accessing their salaries. He called on the government and stakeholders for an engagement to avoid such issues from occurring.
Copyright © Politico Online 24/11/21
