03/01/2025
"The Supreme Court of Liberia, under the directive of Associate Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., has summoned the Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah and Deputy Minister for Administration to appear for a conference on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
The summons arises from allegations of contempt of court for failing to comply with prior orders issued by the Chambers Justice.
It can be recalled that on December 6, 2024, the Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Education to reinstate all affected officers to their original positions (status quo ante) pending the resolution of the case.
However, according to the aggrieved Education Officers, the Ministry has failed to issue formal communication reinstating them to their roles. Instead, the Ministry is reportedly continuing its operations with newly appointed officers, in defiance of the Supreme Court’s directive.
The petitioners, represented by Atty. Steven Toe and supported by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), argue that their removal violates the Education Act of 2011, which specifies strict guidelines for the recruitment and appointment of County Education Officers (CEOs) and District Education Officers (DEOs).
The petitioners cite sections 6.2.4, 6.2.2, and 6.3.2 of the Education Act, which outline:
-CEOs must be recruited based on competitive merit and approved by the County Education Board.
-DEOs must be appointed by the County School Board with the Minister’s approval, adhering to specific qualification standards.
Additionally, the officers claim that their replacements do not meet the qualifications mandated by section 6.3.4 of the Act, further highlighting violations by the Ministry.
The Supreme Court conference, scheduled at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, will provide an opportunity for the Ministry of Education to address these allegations and explain why it has not complied with the court’s directive.
The writ of summons was issued on Friday, January 3, 2025 during the second hearing, following complaints from the aggrieved Education Officers, through their legal representatives, regarding the Ministry of Education's non-compliance with the court's previous directive"
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