SEE BELOW A STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION RESPONDING TO GTU GENERAL SECRETARY CORETTA MCDONALD’S RECENT COMMENTS.
The Ministry of Education registers its alarm at several blatant untruths and defamatory statements made by APNU+AFC activist Coretta McDonald, who appeared to have been masquerading as representing the Guyana Teachers’ Union on 25th January 2021 on an APNU+AFC’s Afternoon Rush program.
Ms. McDonald said that “nobody proper is writing the worksheets or doing any kind of checking” and that “friends” of the PPP/C are writing and photocopying worksheets that are distributed to Guyana’s children, as a result of which they are poorly done.
The truth is, teachers drawn from the Primary Department supervised by ACEOs Samantha Williams and Rabindra Singh engaged in writing worksheets in the areas of their speciality. Those teachers were drawn from various schools, represent various ethnicities, geographical locations, and genders. The Ministry is proud and expresses deep gratitude for their tireless efforts to get work out to the children.
The Ministry is saddened by this attack on the nation’s teachers and rejects any attempt made by the APNU+AFC and their surrogates to denigrate the work, capacity, or to bring into disrepute these or any teachers for cheap political gain.
Secondly, the worksheets were printed by printers who have done work for the Ministry of Education for years and/or four of the national newspapers.
Thirdly, Ms. McDonald alleged that 28 teachers in Region One contracted COVID-19 when the PPP/C Government asked them to pack and distribute hampers to children in the community. The truth is, teachers in Region One were severely affected by COVID-19 between the 10th and the end of June 2020, a time when Ms. McDonald’s party was unlawfully and immorally holding on to the Government that they had already lost.
The Ministry of Education urges Ms. McDonald and her party activists to be responsible in this period and to represent matters truthfully. This is the second time in as many weeks that the Ministry has had to refute blatant lies spouted by Ms. McDonald publicly.
The Ministry of Education advises the people of Guyana to get its news and facts from the Ministry’s various platforms and particularly to disregard any statement emanating from Ms. McDonald as it is most likely untrue.
If Ms. McDonald can tell a fib about the teachers from Region One, which can easily be disputed by media reports, then it is clear she cannot be trusted.
Ms. McDonald is clearly not speaking for the Guyana Teachers’ Union, as none of these issues she alleges was raised by the Union with the Ministry at its very many engagements since August 2020.
The Ministry shall continue to work for the nation’s children. We encourage all to join us as we attempt to combat COVID-19 and its harmful effects.
