Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Teacher who was involved in distribution of hampers for GTU tests positive for Covid-19
– was in contact with colleagues from several regions
The Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) is again expressing its objections to the July-August timeline for exams and the reopening of schools in June for revision and preparation.
Ministry of Education on Brickdam Avenue
This union is even more concerned after learning that a primary school teacher recently tested positive for the novel Coronavirus.
President of GTU, Mark Lyte said on Thursday that this teacher might have infected others.
She is said to be related to an infected person currently in isolation.
When the Union confirmed who the teacherwas, they recounted that it was the same person who was actively involved in a hamper packing and distribution exercise in Georgetown.
Kaieteur News understands that the woman had travelled two weeks ago from the North West District to uplift hampers for her district.
Sources noted that she had been in close contact with other teachers from Georgetown and other regions across Guyana.
With this seemingly frightening situation, Lyte now wants these teachers to get tested immediately.
The GTU president also told Kaieteur News that it is also rumored that there might be two more infected teachers from the same Region One district.
GTU’s President Mark Lyte
He also listed this as an example of how an infected person can unknowingly spread the virus to other persons.
He continued that they can spread the infection to those, whose immune system might not be strong enough or to withstand such a disease.
Lyte even suggested that students sitting exams might be related to infected persons and may not want to come forward.
“Suppose they turn up at school asymptomatic and innocently infect teachers and fellow classmates”, added the GTU president.
“Yes, social-distancing will be observed but it is a great risk”.
With this being said Lyte iterated his union’s stance that the Covid-19 pandemic in Guyana is still fluid and strongly objects to the Education Ministry’s decision.
Organizations such as the Amerindian People’s Association also suggested that the Education Ministry should delay reopening of schools, since many children were not prepared.
Prime Ministerial Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Brigadier Mark Phillips also told Kaieteur News that the Ministry should have first consulted with the GTU before making plans for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).
Advisory to parents of the Santa Rosa Primary School
Refuting Phillips’s claim, the Ministry had stated that officials had discussed with the Union its plans on re-opening of schools and the timelines for the respective exams.
According to the Ministry, the GTU was assured that the well-being of students or teachers would not be compromised.
Ministry officials also said that the National Covid-19 Task Force (NCTF) had granted permission for plans to have the exams.
However, Lyte alleged that during these meetings, the Union made proposals for re-opening which were never adhered to.
“Yes we did meet, but they (the Education Ministry) only wanted to force information on us. It was never their intention to consider our proposals.”
He said that his union proposed that exams be held in October and students be granted amnesty for the April-July terms.
Lyte said that his union even explained that Guyana is still recording COVID-19 cases.
The Union has called on teachers to stay at home for their own safety and the wellbeing of their students.
Teachers in the city had turned up at schools on June 8, while others in Moruca and Port Kaituma refused to report for work.
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