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Education Minister, GTU to discuss concerns affecting teachers

Jul 21, 2015 News

Security and poor working conditions are among several concerns identified by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) that are slated to be discussed with Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine.
This publication understands that a list of more than two dozen concerns relating to the operations of public schools has been forwarded to the Minister, and is expected to be up for discussion during the course of the July/August vacation period with a view of having them corrected at the soonest possible time.
Without detailing the specific concerns, GTU President, Mark Lyte, acknowledged plans to engage the Minister on a number of issues.
“Basically what we are seeking to have addressed is to have the Ministry deal with some of the issues that are affecting our teachers,” Lyte divulged.
The Education Minister, this publication understands, had first engaged the Union last month at a forum that was deemed fruitful.
Among the concerns that are reportedly of concern to the Union is what has been described as “constant reports about security at schools which is frequently raised.
Poor facilities are also another sore issue…The whole issue of safety in the working environment needs to be addressed,” intimated Lyte.
It is the belief of the GTU President, who not so long ago had an opportunity to visit a number of schools, that instead of effecting repairs on some school buildings that are already dilapidated that efforts instead be directed at building new structures.
This publication was reliably informed that among the Union’s list of concerns, is the fact, that teachers are yet to receive for this year an assured five percent increase in addition to clothing allowance over the years.
The increase and allowance are particulars detailed in a multi-year agreement (between the previous administration and the Union) that is set to expire this year end.
The Union is reportedly gearing to also bring to the attention of the Minister, the long overdue debunching money owed to teachers since 2006 in addition to outstanding duty free concessions for vehicles that teachers were denied since 2009.
The latter two issues had seen the Union and the Ministry of Education, under the previous administration, holding opposing views on the matter; each was directing blame to the other for their non-availability to teachers.
In the end the Ministry had accepted fault in the delay of the duty free concession and had approved its issuance to teachers.
The teachers were reportedly awaiting letters from the Guyana Revenue Authority in order to access their concessions.  However, while there were discussions about the debunching money, talks about its payment was placed on hold by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government just before the May 11, 2015 National and Regional Elections.
The Union, as a result, had instituted industrial action in the form of ‘work to rule’ whereby teachers participating were expected to do the mere minimum in terms of their work. Also teachers were expected to return home if their working conditions were not acceptable.
The industrial action was brought to an end after elections which saw the coalesced A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change being elected to office.
The APNU+AFC Government has however, reportedly put both the debunching money payment and duty free concession on hold pending the outcome of on-going investigations of the previous Government’s activities.
Even as the Union prepares to meet with the Minister to discuss its many concerns with the education system, reports are that it is recommending that working groups be established to deal with the outlined issues with a view of having them placed into categories, and addressed by specific groups consisting of representatives of the GTU and the Ministry.
And it is likely that the Minister will be receptive of the recommendations of the Union.
Since assuming office Dr. Roopnaraine has committed, on multiple occasions, to working closely with the GTU.

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