Monrovia – More than one thousand Catholic School Teachers and Support staff have laid down their chalks in demand of three months arrears and benefits owed them by the (CES).
According to the Secretary General of the Media Committee of the Association of Catholic Teachers Incorporated E. Klorteh Seator, they have called for meeting with the Catholic Educational Secretariat to address their situation but to no avail.
Mr. Seator explained that they remain unbinding in their quest adding that their decisions are irreversible until all of their five counts are fully addressed.
Mr. Seaton named their five counts as: The Payment in full of their two and the half months arrears covering May, June and July of 2020 which they alleged the Catholic Educational Secretariat owes them, That CES pay the National social security premium of each teacher and support staff and issue each of them Social Security Valid Identification Cards.
Additionally, he also pointed out that the Educational Secretariat reduce the probation period from three years to three months as is done universally, That CES include the Association of Catholic Teachers Incorporated in the formation of the new personnel policy manual of the system and finally that the Educational Secretariat issue pays slip to the Teachers and support Staff of the system indicating the gross salaries, all deductions and not only balances.
Explaining further he stressed that their new decision is due to what he claimed as bad labor practices and disrespect that continue to derail the interest of the teachers and support of the Archdiocese of Monrovia.
He argued that if the (CES) says it is too early for them to request for their salaries after the resumption of normal academic activities, why are they demanding hundred percent school fees from the students before they can write their tests but failed to allegedly pay them, this is sad, he noted.
The teacher also disclosed and allege that currently the students are writing tests at various catholic schools but without their direct teachers administering the tests as it should be something he indicated is a complete mockery to the sector.
Meanwhile, when contacted the head Father Andrew Varfee of the Catholic Educational Secretariat said that they are working to address the issue but the aggrieved teachers are yet to listen to them something the Teachers Secretary-General on Media Committee termed as false and misleading.