Liberia: MCSS Teachers’ Association Says Public School are Now Run by Parents, Not Government

Monrovia — The Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers’ Association (MCSSTA) is urging President George Weah to make more financial allotment in the education sector in order to implement the “free and compulsory” primary school including the high schools to prevent parents from paying fees for their children.

Speaking to reporters in Monrovia Tuesday, the president of MCSSTA Augustine Nyormui said despite the payment of WASSCE fees for 12th-grade students, the failure to make allotment available to the authority of the MCSS to purchase instructional and janitorial materials to effectively run the school system is causing low enrollment in the public schools.

That, the president of the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers’ Association says is hampering the growth and development of the educational sector.

“We used to have an enrollment of around 25 to 26 thousand. Currently, MCSS enrollment is around 18 to 19 thousand. So, it tells you clearly that the children cannot afford it because there is no support. It’s the parents that are running the schools instead of the government to run her own public schools, and so, enrollment is getting low,” Nyormui said.

He added: “Since this government took over, MCSS cannot receive a dime. The government has to really focus. Paying WASSCE fees at the end of the year is not an achievement, not applaud. Visit those schools and ask those principals; they will tell you that only the parents are running the public schools and not this government headed by President Weah.”

The president of MCSSTA also frowned on the action taking by the government to deduct teachers of the Monrovia Consolidated School System salary in the name of Central Bank current rate.

“It’s saddened and frustrating by the irresponsible acts of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Civil Service Agency including the National Social Security and Welfare Cooperation as a result of the illegal salary deduction of poor teachers in the name of prevailing Central Bank rate instead of a stable budget rate passed by the National Legislature and approved by the President,” the president of MCSSTA said.

Nyormui like many of his colleagues have the first degree. He said in time past, his take-home salary was $64.000. But since the inception of the CDC-led government Nyormui says his take-home salary has drastically dropped to $47.000.

The MCSSTA president furthers: “In fact, nobody at MCSS tells you that they know the actual salary they take home anymore.”