Woman of Substance…Lelia Ramson – maintaining dignity and integrity at the helm of TSC

Mar 07, 2017 News

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Being at the helm of an institution that has considerable influence on the quality of educators

that are placed into the public education system is by no means a simple task. In fact, functioning in such a capacity sometimes requires a little bit more than a routine process, since at times it necessitates being not only a professional, but also a friend to many.
This has in fact been the life of Mrs. Leila Ramson for the past 21 years, 10 of which she has served as Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). She has spent an equal number of years involved in the charitable organisation – the Radio Needy Children’s Fund.
Ramson, however, did not assume a position on the Commission overnight. Rather it was her work as a member of the Dr. James Rose-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) back in early 1990s that really showcased her ability as an effective team player.
Mrs. Ramson during an interview with this publication recalled being invited to be the Public Relations Officer of the IMC, which was tasked with improving the state of the capital city, Georgetown, ahead of the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II back in 1994. Mrs. Ramson was one of two women who sat on that Committee.
The work of the IMC was successful and was aptly lauded. Ramson disclosed that after the life of the IMC came to an end, she started to eye a position in the Ministry of Health’s HIV Programme. Convinced that this was the logical path for her, Ramsone even went ahead and travelled to India to undergo the necessary training. Little did she know that this was not to be.
Shortly after her return, Ramson was summoned by Dr. Cheddi Jagan (the then President, now deceased) to take a place on the TSC.
“I was in my 40s at the time and President Jagan told me he wanted me to be on the Commission, but I was reluctant, because I thought there were too many old people on that Commission that had recently been dissolved,” Ramson recounted.
She would soon realise that it was the intent of the then president “to have young blood on the Commission.”
“I really didn’t want to be on the Commission, but I was forced into it…how dare I turn down a request of the President,” said a grinning Ramson.
She continued, “It wasn’t until after I was on the Commission that I accepted that this was my path…when God has laid out a path for you, you simply have to follow it. I accepted that it was my path to help educators and children in this country and it’s just that I have been doing to the best of my ability.”
Since assuming the position of Chairperson, Ramson said that she has strived to manage the Commission with dignity and integrity. She is of the firm view that “if you don’t have a good manager in an institution it will fall. The TSC is still going strong,” Ramson emphasised with pride, even as she pointed out that “I have had to jump a lot of hurdles and I have made a lot of needed changes.”
There have been a number of initiatives implemented under her watch.
Among them is the establishment of a receipt system, a means by which teachers’ applications can be traced. This tactic had become imperative, since there were occasions in the past that applications were lost in the system and the result was that teachers were denied promotions they were eligible for.
“Once a teacher was able to produce their receipt, we were able to process their applications, and a number of them were promoted because of this,” Ramson recounted.
Another system that came to fruition under her management was one that mandated teachers who have been acting within the system for 10 or more years to avail themselves to programmes to upgrade their teaching status. The system was so designed, Ramson informed, that “who didn’t undertake an upgrade programme had to resign or were terminated, and that opened space for qualified teachers to join the system.”
According to her too, “We were able to insist that each young teacher joining the system be trained within a number of years, so they were compelled to go and get training, thereby ensuring that quality teachers were always in the country’s classrooms”.
But there were a number of challenges faced along the way too. Among the most notable, Ramson recalled, was an injunction filed by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) to halt teachers’ promotion in 2015 pending a review of the promotion process. The court action in this regard would essentially stall teachers’ promotions for a period of two years.
The matter ended during the latter part of last year with a ruling that there be a review of the process.
“I was always of the firm view that that matter could have been resolved in the conference room…however we are working on those outstanding promotions,” Ramson asserted. She has labelled the court action “one of the bad things that happened under my watch, because so many teachers had their promotions stalled.”
Another difficulty she has faced as Chairperson is the inability to find teaching placement for young individuals who would have done well at their exams and desired to joined the teaching system.
“It’s heartrending to see parents and children crying in my office for the want of teaching jobs, especially children from the countryside, and I am helpless, because there are no vacancies,” disclosed Ramson who insisted that “as chairperson of TSC I have never discriminated, for I believe that there is only one race – the human race. We must have love in our hearts for each other as it is expected of our Universal Father.”
Having dealt with teachers over the years, Ramson disclosed that she developed a passion for dealing with these professionals. In fact, she has befriended many of them and even served as their counsellor on occasions.
“I am a professional counsellor, and so I have been able to counsel and help to solve many of their problems over the years. Some teachers are so appreciative, because they had nowhere to turn sometimes. I think God, on each occasion, gave me divine guidance to help counsel those teachers,” added a grateful Ramson.
According to Ramson, who comes from a humble background with a pandit for a father, “our home was always a charitable home. I was taught that if you didn’t have money to give to help someone at least give them good advice.”
Even as she spoke proudly of her upbringing, Ramson shared her belief that “we all have a purpose on earth and whatever we do we must to it to the best of our ability and love in our hearts. Because of my work, I feel teachers are chosen people and should always be role models to their students…they have been chosen to share knowledge and mould the minds of our children.”
Although the Commission is slated to be dissolved in September, the 66-year-old Ramson is hopeful that, with or without her presence, the body will retain the policies that have been put in place to ensure its continued efficient operation.
But even as her professional years wind down, Ramson is still very much full of good advice and guidance especially for young women. “I would say to young women, never let poverty keep you down; know your goals in life and work towards them and remember that education is the key to success…”
The mother of two and wife to Senior Counsel Charles Ramson, also urges young women to: “Never give up, since success doesn’t only mean passing all your exams and moving… it also means that when you fall down pick up the pieces and move on with courage, and you will get to where you need to be.”
Added to this, she is hopeful that young women can strive to be disciplined and always seek to help each other even as they elevate themselves.

(Mrs. Leila Ramson is featured as one of our nation’s outstanding professional women as the commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) nears)

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