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TEACHERS ARE NOT BACKING DOWN
The new school year is about to begin, but it is likely that the classrooms will be empty because of the impending teachers’ strike. After more than two years of negotiation with the teachers’ union, talks have broken down, which means that a teachers’ strike is unavoidable.
The union has stated that the teachers would accept what they consider to be a reasonable offer, but the government is not budging. Teachers have been without a contract since 2015, but with only a week before the new school year starts, the government should do much more to prevent teachers from going on strike, given that most of the public schools are underperforming and are failing students.
As strike action looms, the Minister of Education has appealed to the Social Protection Ministry for conciliation. The hastily arranged conciliation meeting planned for last Friday has been deferred to Tuesday, as representatives of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) was meeting with teachers throughout the country. Educators believe that the planned strike by public school teachers could have highly negative and far-reaching implications for the students.
According to the GTU, teachers will begin strike action from tomorrow, during the pre-term period, and continue at least, into next week, the first week of school. A prolonged strike can develop if the situation is not remedied. A strike by public school teachers cannot be in the best interest of the government, especially in an election year.
The public seems to be supporting the teachers in their struggle for increased wages to offset the high cost of living. All across the country, the union has diligently been appealing to parents for their understanding as it prepares to engage in industrial action. Many have understood and have empathized with the teachers and have thrown their support behind them as strike action nears.
As part of the appeal, a letter which was written by someone, most likely by a teacher, and was endorsed by the Union, has swamped social media urging parents to be understanding of the planned strike action.
The letter reads, “Dear parents, as the academic school year approaches we know many of you are elated to have your children back in the hands of teachers. I know many of you are concerned and worried about the proposed strike action by teachers. I just hope that you can all bear with us, for this is only temporary. The strike action is imperative, since teachers too wish to live in comfort and to be able to provide for their own children. Most of us walk or travel to work by bus. Many of us walk our kids along the streets so they can reach to school on time and so can we.
Many of us spend more time with the students than we spend with our kids…. many of us cried tears of joy when our students excelled. Many of us would miss our kids’ awards ceremonies and meetings because we have to be at the ones held at our school. We want you to understand that teachers are not only educators, but they also act as nurses, counsellors, janitors, designers and many other roles as they cater to the children in their charge.”
Strike action comes on the heels of failed talks between the union and the Education Ministry regarding a multi-year salary package for public school teachers. The government had more than two years to negotiate an acceptable contract with the teachers’ union but inexplicably it did not. So in a last-ditch effort to prevent what could turn out to be a chaotic situation, it is seeking conciliation. The union sees this is a diversionary tactic by the government to delay the strike. The government, they insist, is buying time. Based on some union executives, the union is not interested in conciliation at this late moment. The students will be the ultimate losers. The clock is ticking on the government.
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