Sexual molestation in schools…GTU to seek audience with President Jagdeo

Jun 23, 2008 News

Discussions between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and officials of the Education Ministry on the issue of sexual molestation in schools have reached a deadlock since, according to GTU President Colywn King, the ministry has refused to acknowledge an agreement which dictates the manner in which disciplinary action should be taken against teachers.

According to King, based on the advice of his officers, Minister of Education Shaik Baksh has categorically stated that such an agreement is non-existent and therefore cannot dictate the actions of the ministry.

The ministry recently recommended to the Teaching Service Commission that teachers who have been accused of misconduct, or are believed to be negligent, receive the sternest of disciplinary actions, the worst being dismissal.

As a result, the intervention of the GTU was sought on behalf of the teachers.

The GTU President had, accordingly, written to the ministry recommending that a disciplinary letter sent to a head teacher accused of negligence be rescinded.

He also sought audience with Education officials regarding disciplinary actions against other teachers.

King recently revealed that he was optimistic that the Ministry of Education would reconsider its actions to recommend disciplinary measures against the teachers.

However, King said that he was most disappointed when the Education Minister, without proper investigation, professed categorically that a document reflecting the agreement that governs the process for teachers’ employment and disciplinary action does not exist

According to King, the document was in existence even before 1994. He said he is currently having copies made for the benefit of the ministry.

“The blind is leading the blind at the ministry; that is why we have so many problems. The minister has some advisers that clearly don’t know what is going on. If they can say that this document doesn’t exist, where are we?” King questioned.

King said that although industrial action could prove to be an effective way of getting the required action, it will effectively harm the already suffering literacy level.

For this reason, he said, the union is prepared to seek audience with President Bharrat Jagdeo before any measure of industrial action is engaged.

According to King, the ministry has so far succeeded in breaching all procedures and protocols in dealing with the disciplining of teachers, since no union official or representative was involved in the decision to institute the action.

He outlined that, according to the agreement, as far as possible, all matters, including the disciplining of teachers, should be settled in schools; but if mutually satisfactory solutions cannot be reached, then the matters should be taken to the Regional Education Officer.

It also stated that a union official or representative must be present during the conduct of any investigation or inquiry.

Kaieteur News was unable to secure a comment from Minister Baksh yesterday, reportedly due to his involvement in a series of meetings.