Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Region Six parents to join striking teachers today

Sep 05, 2018 News

Parents from Region Six are expected to take to the streets today in support of striking teachers from nursery, primary and secondary schools.
This is according to the Guyana Teacher’s Union President Mark Lyte.
According to one teacher, the parents are prepared to stand with the educators “to fight the good fight.”
Meanwhile, while a few children turned up at some schools, the doors were shut tight at other schools as the strike entered its second day.
Five teachers, including the principal, were present at Berbice High School.
The headteacher on Monday had walked out with other teachers as the Minister of Education entered the school compound. She was at the time making checks to schools in Region Six.
Additionally, Kaieteur News has learnt that the Rose Hall Town Primary School is on complete shut-down, along with the Albion Front Nursery School. Students from the New Amsterdam Multilateral were reportedly told by teachers to remain at home until further notice.
Rose Hall Canje Primary had five teachers present out of twelve, while the Cumberland Primary School had a full staff turn out together with Cropper Primary.
While all of the teachers have indicated that they are in support of the strike, some stated that they are still committed to the children but will dedicate a day of strike.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman David Armogan during a brief interview said that although the Ministry announced that they have in place substitutes and volunteers, “I saw all the children outside on the tarmacs for most of the schools and it was a big problem to supervise them.”
He stated that he empathizes with the teachers and believes it is a legitimate issue, “so even though I agree that schools will be affected and children will be affected, we also have to look at the bigger picture too and the teachers’ problems. One of the grave issues is that the government has allowed the negotiations to break down. Unfortunately it has reached the stage of conciliation and the next stage, arbitration which the union rightfully called for. The government is hesitant to go to arbitration because they are probably remembering what happened in the Armstrong Tribunal where teacher’s were given hefty increases.”
Armogan said he was heartened when the President stated that he is looking to cut certain aspects of the national budget to allow another proposal.
“But up to now that is just talk and we haven’t heard anything else since then and so the government needs to move very quickly instead of making excuses; that is all that they have.”
He mentioned that based on what the Opposition Leader had stated that the money can be easily found by making some basic cuts.
According to Armogan, the teachers deserve a better pay “because they have to live and they have expenses”.
The Regional Chairman also stated that he was disappointed in the statements made by Keith Scott, Minister responsible for Labour who is also heading the conciliation team. However, Scott has since issued an apology for his words uttered loosely recently.
Thousands of teachers hit the streets across the country; with some bearing placards with slogans such as “No money, No wuk”, “Teachers are important, yes we are” and “Henry is a yard fowl, we gon pressure she.”
Teachers and head-teachers from Linden are expected to protest the Ministry in Georgetown today as well.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | September. 30th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

October 1st turn off your lights to bring about a change!

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Uncertainty clouds Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach position as Barbados showdown approaches

Uncertainty clouds Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach position as...

Nov 05, 2024

  By Rawle Toney Kaieteur  Sports- With less than two weeks before the Golden Jaguars meet Barbados in back-to-back encounters that could shape their Gold Cup destiny, the Guyana Football...
Read More
Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force

Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to...

Nov 05, 2024

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson awarded nation’s highest honour

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson...

Nov 05, 2024

Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track Athlete of the Year among elite group of Olympic champions

Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track...

Nov 05, 2024

Junior Sinclair replaces Kevin Sinclair in the CG United Super 50 Cup 2024

Junior Sinclair replaces Kevin Sinclair in the CG...

Nov 05, 2024

Hamilton Green KO Football Championship starts Friday

Hamilton Green KO Football Championship starts...

Nov 05, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]