GTU President worried teachers’ interests being sidelined

Jul 30, 2016 News

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Teachers within the public education system are frustrated and very worried about their stalled promotions. Promotions for the eligible teachers have been stalled for the past two years pending a ruling into a court matter between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).
According to GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte yesterday, “It has been three months since we have been waiting for a ruling from the Chief Justice and there seems to be no forward movement as to when it will be.”
In the meantime, teachers have not been failing to express fear that some of them will be denied promotions they are eligible for. “As we wait, teachers’ lives continue to be on hold…that decision will decide on other promotions for our teachers,” said a perturbed Lyte.
As such he said that the GTU is appealing to the powers that be, to fast-track the handing down of the verdict.
“We can’t fight the system, we can’t tell them how to operate but the ruling could only be for or against and we are prepared to abide by whatever it is and move on. We are worried at this point about why it is taking so long,” added the GTU President.
The GTU, two years ago, filed an injunction preventing the TSC from proceeding with a final promotion list after raising a number of concerns about the promotion process. The injunction filed had also stalled promotions by the Schools Board Secretariat which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education.
But the GTU was essentially aiming for the two bodies to review the process rather than proceed with finalising a preliminary list. While the Ministry agreed to the review process, the TSC decided that it would not do so since according to its Chairman, Ms. Leila Ramson, the process would have been too tedious for her staff.
She had, however, committed to having all of the concerns of the GTU addressed during the promotion process this year.
However, since there was no promotion last year, the process has also been stalled for this year thus resulting in no teacher being elevated for 2015 and 2016 thus far.
The TSC instead of embracing the review opted to have the matter dealt with in the court of law.
And it would seem that the interests of teachers are being neglected from every side as, according to Lyte, even the debunching money that the Ministry had assured teachers of are yet to be made available.
“Basically the Union and the Ministry came to an agreement that debunching would be paid, a document was sent for Cabinet’s approval but Cabinet has reportedly not made a decision since April…We are still awaiting word as to when teachers will be paid,” said Lyte.
According to Lyte, the Union had received a correspondence from Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, stating that teachers will be paid one per cent (of each month’s salary) commencing 2011 to 2015 as agreed in a multi-year agreement between the Union and the Ministry.
The letter in question, according to Lyte, was also forwarded by the Education Minister to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on April 22, last.
Ever since, the Union as well as teachers, has been anxiously awaiting the disbursement. According to Lyte, teachers have already waited a decade to receive the debunching money.
He noted that while the Union is pleased that efforts were made to discuss the matter, “Our teachers across Guyana need to know when they will be paid…Teachers need their money.
Based on the agreement, a teacher who earned $100,000 in 2011 will be entitled to $12,000 at the end of the year. However, teachers who received a promotion during the five-year period would be eligible for an augmented amount.
“All of that would have been taken into consideration to apply this one per cent,” the GTU President explained.
He asserted that the payable percentage would only be offered to teachers who were active during, or at least part of the agreed upon period.
“Even if a teacher retired in 2012, that teacher will be eligible for a portion of the debunching money; the same one per cent of their monthly salary,” Lyte asserted.
Based on the agreement with the Ministry, the debunching money should have been payable long before the end of the just concluded school year.
The Union had inked an agreement with the previous administration which agreed to pay the debunching money to teachers.
During the lead up to the May 11, 2015 National and Regional Elections, the previous Government, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, had reneged on its commitment. But Minister Roopnaraine had told media operatives earlier this year “We are looking at the debunching right now…We have to honour whatever commitments the Government entered into with the Teachers’ Union and right now I know they are looking at the whole debunching issue.”

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