I read with interest the leader of July 14 about pension reform. It is good to read that “the strategy group is encouraging people to stay at work after their retirement age”. However, I fear that this is all pie in the sky as I have learnt from experience.

Up to a few months ago I was employed as head of department (mathematics) in a State college. Five months before the retirement date I wrote to a high-ranking official expressing my wish to remain in employment on a part-time basis.

Up to the day of retirement I still had no reply and, therefore, I again I wrote to this official asking whether, because I had not received any reply, I might as well assume that my request had been turned down.

Two days later, I received an e-mail through which I was asked to sign a contract, which, I was told, would come into effect on the following day.

However, when I went to sign the contract I was asked to produce my VAT number and also to register as self-employed with the VAT Department.

Not having been made aware of this beforehand, I declined to sign the contract.

What irked me most in this whole business is that, on the one hand, we hear talk about “active retirement” and, on the other hand, continuation of employment is rendered as difficult as possible.

Might I add that, in the meantime, the college where I was employed and a number of other colleges have remained without a head of mathematics, which is one of the core subjects in the curriculum.