By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- Normal academic activities today, Monday January 24, 2022 came to a halt as the result of a go-slow action initiated by employees of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) here in Margibi County.
Students of one of the oldest public technical institutions were expected to commence their periodic exams on Monday but to no avail, as academic teachers abandoned the class rooms (laid down chalk).
The employees and teachers through a communication dated January 19, 2022 accused the Liberian government of doing nothing to increase their salaries, something that triggered their action.
The aggrieved teachers said after the government’s salary harmonization process they continue to earn low salaries despite the full day devotion to duty on a daily basis as compared to other government instituions (schools) below their standard, but earn better salaries than them (BWI Teachers).
The group said on January 24, 2021 their CEO/Principal, Atty. Harris Fomba Tarnue, the former President of BOWIWU, Foday K. Rogers and other concerned Representative of the workers (employees) on several occasions did pursue increment in their salaries at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) in 2021 but there is no redress yet.
The aggrieved teachers indicated that the fact that their salaries keep declining on a monthly basis instead of increasing indicates the government unwillingness or reluctance to address their plight.
They added that if nothing is done about it until the passage of the 2022 fiscal budget, the effort of the employees to seek increment in their salaries will become an issue.
“In this regard, therefore, Mr. President, we the workers are very displeased and write to inform you about our plan action to disengage all work activities beginning Monday January 24, 2022 until government can address our salaries situation.
“This position is necessary because BWI is no longer an autonomous institution but squarely under government supervision of which government need to be engaged directly. We believe that this action will draw the attention of the government in harmonizing our salaries to commensurate with our qualification and time duty according to BWI grade level especially as a technical and vocational institution” the BWI’s aggrieved workers expressed.”
This brings to two communications written to the Liberian government by the aggrieved BWI workers.
It can be recalled that on January 25, 2021, the group wrote the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) appealing for increment in their salaries.
In the 2021 communication, the BWI employees underscored four points as reasons for their appeal.
The points include the length of time in service for the school noting that they have spent the entire day of work at the BWI school compare to any other school but yet with salary less than government employed teachers, BWI been one of Liberia’s best TVET institution “teachers’ monthly salaries are far below three hundred United States dollars ,adding that this figure is the stipulated amount for Bsc and Msc degree holders.
Additionally, the teachers said as per grade level, after salary harmonization at BWI, with the grade level of TC1-1, their salary still remains the same and less than any other Technical and Vocational institution in Liberia.
The teachers furthered that over the years and prior to the salary harmonization, workers at BWI have benefited housing allowances and insurance, but said all of those benefits were cancelled and a tremendous decrease in salary that cannot meet the needs of workers at the institution.
Meanwhile, the head of Communications and Marketing at the Booker T. Washington Institute, Sam Sumo Bahbor said he has not received any information about a go-slow action.