Problems plague the education system daily

Sep 15, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – In politics, actions often speak louder than words. The recent move by the PPPC government in Guyana to adjust the salaries of underpaid teachers has been hailed as a commendable step towards rectifying an ongoing issue. However, it’s hard to ignore the glaring hypocrisy of this action, given that the government had been in power for three and a half years before taking any meaningful steps to address the problem.

While the government attempts to shift blame onto its predecessor, the APNU+AFC government, for the underpayment of teachers, it’s essential to question why this corrective action was not taken earlier. If the PPPC government genuinely cared for the well-being of educators, why did it take them three and a half years to act? This delay reveals a concerning level of apathy and negligence towards one of the most crucial sectors of any society—the education system.

The issue of underpaid teachers is not a new one in Guyana. For years,  hand full of educators have been grappling with salaries that fall below the minimum of their scale, making it increasingly difficult for them to make ends meet.

In politics, it’s not uncommon for the blame to be passed from one administration to another when addressing long-standing issues. The PPPC government’s attempt to point fingers at the previous government is a classic example of this. While it is true that the APNU+AFC government also had a responsibility to address teacher pay concerns, the glaring hypocrisy in the PPPC government’s recent actions becomes evident when we consider the consequences of their inaction.

The delay in addressing teacher pay issues reflects a lack of urgency on the part of the government. While they may argue that they needed time to assess the situation and it is difficult to believe that it took three and a half years to recognize the severity of the problem.

While the PPPC government’s recent action to adjust teacher salaries is a welcome move, the timing of these adjustments raises legitimate suspicions. It coincides with the failure of the government to commence long-overdue negotiations for a new package of benefits for teachers. Teachers have been patiently waiting for these negotiations to begin in earnest, hoping for improved working conditions and financial incentives that reflect their dedication to the profession.

The government’s approach to these negotiations has been questionable at best. Instead of negotiations, the government is hinting at consultations. And the fact that these consultations have to await the President’s return from overseas suggests a lack of priority and urgency on this matter. This begs the question: Why the delay, especially when there is nothing preventing the government from conducting negotiations simultaneously with the consultations?

Teachers, like all workers, have the right to fair negotiations and timely resolutions to their concerns. The delay in addressing these negotiations and the simultaneous action on teacher salaries create an impression that the government is using the adjustment to demonstrate that they care for teachers and a s foil for not immediately commencing negotiations. The delay in these negotiations for salary increases only adds to the frustration and disappointment felt by teachers who have been patiently waiting for the government to honor its commitments.

Daily, the education sector is being plagued by problems while the authorities take to Facebook to bask in some illusionary progress in the educational sector. The recent announcement by the government to adjust teacher salaries comes in the wake of a disturbing incident at Cropper Primary School. Reports indicate that parents were temporarily restricted from the school’s compound and forced to provide lunch for their children on the road. This draconian action followed an allegation of a part-time worker having her bag stolen.

Such heavy-handed measures raise significant concerns about the management and accountability within the education system. The incident at Cropper Primary School highlights the need for thorough investigations and swift action against those responsible for such decisions.

Locking out parents from school premises and forcing children to have lunch on the road is a violation of basic rights of the children. The emotional distress caused to both parents and children in this incident cannot be understated. It is crucial that this incident is thoroughly investigated, and those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

The management of the education sector cannot be effectively accomplished through sporadic posts on social media or by circumventing the regional authorities in the provision of basic supplies to schools. While public awareness and advocacy play a vital role, genuine progress demands a more comprehensive approach.

The system must be improved, and collaborative efforts should be undertaken to find ways to make it work better. This includes fostering strong partnerships between government bodies, regional authorities, educators, parents, and the community at large to address the multifaceted challenges facing the education sector. Only through coordinated and systemic reforms, can we ensure a brighter future for our students and build a better educational system for generations to come.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• actions, Guyana, issue, Peeping Tom, Politics

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