Education Ministry PS says no policy to withhold salaries from teachers going overseas

Vibert Welch (GINA photo)

The Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Education Vibert Welch said during his appearance at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting yesterday that the ministry does not have a policy to withhold salaries from teachers who travel overseas, despite the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Five claiming this is so.

Welch’s comment comes on the heels of protests by teachers against Region Five’s REO Ovid Morrison, who instructed the education office to withhold the salaries of teachers who were travelling abroad on their vacation leave.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon told the media last week that Morrison said he was acting on a regulation that allowed for teachers travelling abroad for the period to either lodge one month’s salary or have it withheld from them. This regulation was to be