Several Education Officers in Nimba County, who were removed from their posts and transferred to other parts of the country have described their transfers as illegal and illegitimate-noting that the move is against the Education Reform Act of 2024.
The aggrieved education officers, nine in numbers, including eight district education officers and the county Education Officer, Moses Dologbay vowed not to honor the transfer until due process is given them.
The aggrieved education officers, who boasted of improving the education sector of Nimba upon their ascendancy to their respective positions said their transfers were not in line with chapter 3, section 4.9 of the CSA standing order.
"Before a transfer is initiated the target position must be vacant and the CSA must be notified for approval before proceeding with the transfer," said Moses Dologbay, the outgoing County Education Officer of Nimba.
"Transfer must not reduce the salary or the status of the civil servant," he added.
The aggrieved education officers explained that transfer of staff to vacant positions must be aligned with the academic quantification and inexperienced volunteers.
The outgoing County Education Officer, Moses Dologbay complained that he was transferred as instructor to Wehbo Teacher Training Institute in Rivergee, something he said was denigrating and disrespectful to him.
"Transfer should not be used as a means of punishment," Mr. Dologbay alluded.
Recently, the Ministry of Education transferred or swabbed most of its education officers from county to the others, some of the EOs retained their assigned positions, while others retired.
Nimba has 12 education districts and 12 district education officers, six of the district education officers were transferred to distant counties, most of them retained their status as DEOs, one as office staff and two were retired.
But, the teachers are saying that they were transferred without any resettlement package, while some of them said they transferred without the ministry checking on the four year benchmark for DEO or CEO to remain in one area before being transferred.
Recently, the Ministry of Education put out vacancies for the posts of EOs, comparing all the EOs to reapplied and go through the vetting process.
It is not clear, whether it was because of the reapplications process that got most of the EOs to lose their positions or got them to be transferred.
The ministry is yet to publish the outcome of vetting process for public consumption, but the Daily Observer also established that most of the previous EOs( especially DEOs) do not have requisite degree in education and some of them over stay in their areas of assignment against the 2011 reform education act which called for four years.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Most of the district education officers are not teachers by profession, they came from different professional backgrounds and found them as DEOs, so the vetting exercise is intended to ensure that those with education credentials serve as EOs," said the applicant, who failed the process.
"Before becoming a DEO, you should serve as classroom teacher, then as principal and for CEO, one should serve as principal, DEO," said one Manweah.
However, the aggrieved Nimba EOs are insisting that they wouldn't turn over their assigned bikes or cars until the due process is done.
The Daily Observer could not independently verified most of the allegation due to lack of contacts for mist of the senior national officers.
