By George M.O. Williams
The Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) has issued a formal appeal to President Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, expressing deep concern over the suspension of more than 4,000 teachers from the government payroll.
The action follows a nationwide verification exercise conducted by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), which aimed to identify and remove ghost workers from the education system.
In a letter dated August 6, 2024, the SLTU warned that the mass suspension — if not urgently addressed — could jeopardize the smooth reopening of schools scheduled for September. The Union emphasized that many of the affected teachers are still actively serving and were verified during the exercise, yet their names were inexplicably removed from the payroll.
“Some schools were not visited at all by enumerators, leading to the unfair suspension of genuine teachers,” the letter stated. “While we acknowledge that some teachers have resigned, abandoned their posts, or passed away and should rightly be removed, it is unfair to punish those who remain dedicated to their duties.”
The SLTU reaffirmed its support for the government’s broader efforts to sanitize the payroll system, noting that such reforms are necessary to create space for the recruitment of more qualified educators. However, the Union urged swift action to reinstate teachers who were wrongly suspended despite undergoing re-verification.
“We appeal for urgent intervention to ensure that genuine teachers are reinstated without delay. We look forward to your kind intervention,” the letter concluded.
The development has sparked concern across the education sector, with stakeholders calling for transparency and fairness in the verification process. As the new academic year approaches, the fate of thousands of teachers hangs in the balance — and with it, the stability of Sierra Leone’s school system.