Teachers today picketed outside the Education Ministry in a united call for better salaries and working conditions. The demonstration, organised by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), comes days after the passage of the country’s largest budget, a whopping $1.146 Trillion.
Led by the union’s General Secretary and Opposition Member of Parliament, Coretta McDonald, teachers held placards, conducted a mock classroom session, and sang songs demanding that the Ministry of Education do more for teachers. Some lamented, among other things, poor salaries and the 6.5 percent increase; inadequate seating accommodations in schools and poor facilities; not being allocated affordable housing; and the requirements to access duty-free concessions.
Some teachers even spoke about “going into their own pockets” to purchase additional materials, and even feeling the financial brunt of children in unfortunate situations who lack meals and working materials.
The Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Saddam Hussain were especially called upon to do more for teachers.
McDonald told media operatives at the protest that better working conditions and a suitable increase are what the teachers are mostly demanding. She said the 6.5 per cent increase is not sufficient, noting that the figure came as a result of imposition and not via collective bargaining.
However, the Education Ministry has deemed the strike illegal. It says that the action goes contrary to the agreements signed between itself and the GTU on April 10, 1990. Moreover, the Ministry said that more than 60% of legal demands have been met.
It also noted the precarious state of the country’s education sector as the strike continues amidst the final term before the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, commonly referred to as CXC.
“Any disruption to the teaching – learning process could affect individual children and their entire future thereby hampering the ability for families to use education to exit poverty,” the Ministry warned.
However, as to the duration of the ongoing strike, McDonald said that “whether it is two weeks, three weeks, whenever, the teachers will have to decide”.
It is unclear whether striking teachers are entitled to be paid on demonstration days or if the union, which receives dues from teachers, will offer financial relief to the educators.
McDonald pointed out that since teachers on the picket line are Afro-Guyanese, one can therefore conclude that the government, by not heeding the request of the teachers, are discriminating against a segment of the population. She then declared the action as one that was birthed out of collective suffering and not one influenced by political differences. The MP then called on her parliament colleague, Manickchand, to come out and speak to the teachers directly.
She then began ringing a bell, “calling in school”.
When the “register” was read, all students accounted present, except “Priya” and “Saddam”.
“Where are they?” McDonald asked.
“Dem hiding,” was the reply.
But Manickchand, however, appears to have been in Anna Region, Region Two as the protest was unfolding across the country. In a social media post, the Minister said she held a “great engagement with teachers of Anna Regina this morning”.
Yesterday, the Minister, also in a social media post, accused the GTU and Opposition of “bullying” teachers who are against the protest/strike.
“The GTU, APNU/AFC and their friends, on the other hand, are out here bullying and trying to embarrass teachers who choose to exercise their right NOT to strike. Telling right?” the Minister said in a post on her Facebook account.
She added that while teachers have a right to strike but noted that the conditions for such actions must be met. The Education Ministry also launched a cyber counter to the strike/protest by sharing photos of schoolrooms with teachers in front of blackboards and children participating. The Ministry has also issued statements of gratitude to those teachers.
Those educators, who have reportedly shut schools to go on protests, will face the authorities, the Ministry has promised.
In a Facebook post today, the Ministry said that it has been advised that some schools have been locked by the substantive head teacher and that numerous teachers were denied entry.
It noted that the closing of a school is the responsibility of the Chief Education Officer not a head teacher or a representative of the Guyana Teachers’ Union.
“Any head teacher who is found to have breached these rules will be held accountable and will be recommended to the Teaching Service Commission/School Boards Secretariat for disciplinary action,” the Ministry said.
It has also asked that teachers report “acts of threats and intimidation by GTU agents and others” by calling 641 8573 or message via Whatsapp.
