MONROVIA, LIBERIA-Aggrieved Education Officers of the Ministry of Education have filed a Writ of Prohibition before the Just Justice in Chambers, against Education Minister Jarso Jallah and Deputy for Instruction.

The writ is to restrain and prohibit authorities of the Ministry of Education from illegally removing County and District Education Officers from their offices.

In a four-count petition, they claimed that they were employed as District and County Education Officers based on the Education Act of 2011.

They are quoted as saying the Education Act states that the Education Officer of each county shall be headed by a County Education Officer recruited on a competitive merit basis and nominated by the County Education Board for appointment by the Minister in line with rules, regulations, and qualification criteria set by the Education Ministry.

According to the petition, the qualification set by the Ministry of Education is that, to become a County and District Education Officer, one must acquire a Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master’s in Education, with a tenure of four years, and shall be reappointed for a second four-year period, provided that no County Education Officer shall serve for more than two consecutive terms in the same county.

The Petitioners submit and say that all of the Education Officers are being replaced with individuals, some of whom do not have the required qualification of BSc in Education and Master in Education, which violates the Education Act.