Monrovia – Four teachers at the Light International School, a school operated by Turkish nationals, in Sinkor have been dismissed by the school’s administration for requesting what they termed as “just benefits and salaries”.
The dismissals come days after the teachers were threatened by the school when they sought an understanding of how they are going to be paid in the coming months.
The Aggrieved teachers met with the school’s principal, Mr. Alper Erkan last Monday, August 17, to discuss their salaries and benefits.
Amada Togba, an English instructor and spokesman for the group of aggrieved workers alleged that Mr. Erkan did not say a word to them (instructors) but threatened to dismiss any instructor that will not go to class immediately to teach.
“The only thing the principal had to say was that he is giving us five minutes and if we do not go to class he will dismiss all those who will not go to class. Four of us stood our grounds. We said this is not fair. As a principal, we never even expected him to talk like that,” Togba said.
“Why will the principal intimidate us? To the extent that we will be running to classes against our will. So, we said, we cannot take this thing; let us go home so he can dismiss us.”
On Wednesday, August 19, the four teachers went to the school campus for their dismissal letters but the authorities refused to give them the letters.
As a result, the teachers to work on Thursday, August 20, on the ground that they were still employed by the institution and that they needed to be present in their respective classrooms.
After placing their names in the attendance book, the four teachers were denied entrance in their respective classes to teach.
“Their lawyer advises them that if they dismiss us they will be doing that without a cause. So, that is the reason they have prevented us from working so that we cannot have any record of working for some days,” he said.
“They want to dismiss us on willful neglect of duty. And so, that is the strategy they have employed. Every time we went to work they prevented us.”
On Friday, August 21, the four teachers were given their dismissal letters by the Light International School System.
“So, they finally gave our termination letters with the same content, only the names have changed, with no reference of any warning. They just said willful neglect of duty. And they gave us the letters without any benefit,” Togba said.
“They tried to create some reasons like they are dismissing us on a cause but they do not have any reason.”
In conversation with FrontPageAfrica via phone, the school’s principal declined to comment on the Matter.