Freetown, Sierra Leone – The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has announced that 203 Heads of Schools from various public schools are scheduled to retire next month, alongside a total of 680 teachers.
The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) will be overseeing the retirement process, with the official retirement date set for August 31, 2023.
Mr. Sorie I. Turay, Secretary of TSC, revealed that the retirees will receive their gratuities along with their last salaries on the designated date. The Cabinet granted approval for annual retirements on August 31 each year, aiming to minimize disruptions to the school year.
“The retirement letters for these teachers have already been dispatched to their respective schools earlier this year. They are expected to complete the retirement forms and submit them to the TSC Offices in their districts. In case they haven’t received copies, they can collect them from the TSC Offices,” Mr. Turay explained.
The retirement follows the mandatory retirement age for teachers, which is set at 60 years. However, there is a special concession for teachers of Science, Technology, Agriculture, Engineering, and Mathematics (STAEM) subjects, allowing them to extend their retirement age to 65 years if they wish to continue teaching.
Mr. Turay addressed the issue of some teachers attempting to avoid retirement at age 60 by falsely claiming to be STEAM teachers. He assured that such cases have already been resolved.
In addition to the retirements, the government is currently processing the inclusion of 2,800 teachers into the government payroll. Teachers make up a significant portion, 40%, of the entire government payroll. Since 2018, efforts have been made to place 5,424 teachers on their rightful pay grade, and over 300 school heads have undergone regularization. Furthermore, the government has hired 1,000 new teachers in 2021 alone. Presently, approximately 36,509 teachers are on the government payroll.
The government’s commitment to education was challenged during the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which forced many nations to reduce budgetary support. Despite this, the government fulfilled its promise and paid a 30% increase to 34,350 teachers across the country. This resulted in a significant payroll increase, amounting to Le 13.45 billion, between March and April 2020.
Recently, the government announced a further 45% increase in teachers’ salaries to be implemented over the next three years. This move aims to strengthen the education system and recognize the valuable contributions of teachers.
The government’s investment in school management and leadership has led to the appointment of over 500 Principals and Vice Principals between August 2020 and November 2021, filling previously vacant or acting positions.
The nation also celebrates outstanding educators through the Presidential National Best Teacher Awards. Over the past two years, 112 teachers have been honored for their dedication and service. Two national winners were nominated for the African Union Best Teacher Prize, and many have benefited from advanced training opportunities. The third edition of this prestigious event is scheduled for October 5, 2023, further acknowledging the remarkable work of educators in Sierra Leone.
