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‘We are not children, we are educators speak to us properly’ – Essequibo teacher tells Pres. Ali
Kaieteur News – Amid the ongoing nationwide strike calling for better salaries and working conditions for teachers in Guyana, Sir Martin Samaroo, a teacher from the Essequibo Coast, Region Two, has criticised President Irfaan Ali for his recent remarks.
President Irfaan Ali during the Facebook live session on Sunday
The strike, initiated by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) on February 5, 2024, has entered its second week, with educators seeking collective bargaining with the Union and the Government of Guyana (GoG).
President Ali’s attempt to address the situation via a Facebook live session on Sunday has drawn sharp criticism from some teachers, including Sir Samaroo. In his address, President Ali on Sunday called on teachers to be fair and “have a conscience” even as he urged the educators to reflect on the myriad of efforts his government has employed to make their work simpler. However, it was the tone and manner of his communication that sparked discontent among educators.
Sir Martin Samaroo
During a Facebook Live session, Sir Samaroo expressed his disappointment, stating, “I was hurt last night, when someone shared that live to me I was hurt.” He continued, “While in Opposition, President always asked what about the teachers? What about the nurses? with vigor and vim while speaking in Parliament. You are now turning that against us in the interview, speaking to us as if we are your children.”
He further emphasised the need for respectful dialogue, asserting, “he’s not talking to children; he’s talking to the working class; he’s talking to the educators of this country, and he should do so with respect.” “Myself in particular, I am very disturbed by what I heard from the President and the way in which he spoke it. He should calm himself down, someone need to give our dearly beloved President a nice glass of juice, cold swank to calm him down,” the teacher noted.
Samaroo’s sentiments echoed the frustration felt by many teachers who perceive the President’s tone as dismissive and lacking in empathy. He called for an end to what he described as “bullyism,” of teachers. Referring to colleagues who also found the President’s tone demotivating, Samaroo underscored the need for respectful and dignified communication.
Speaking via a live stream on his official Facebook page, President Ali urged teachers to consider how his government has been working to address their concerns within the education sector. The President noted that several efforts were made to improve the system for teachers.
“We have been getting more teachers trained…All trainees in pre-service training at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), are now paid $90,000 instead of a $10,000 stipend,” Ali ranted.
An upset Ali continued, “Teachers are also being provided with a termly grant to purchase school supplies and head teachers are no longer required to teach so they can focus on administrative work…We have been offering other incentives such as increased duty-free concessions”
“You are telling me, that none of this matters… Teachers have to have a responsibility too. We have to be fair, we have to have a conscience, we can’t allow ourselves to become political pawns.,” President Ali further said. As such, Ali again urged teachers to be patient with the government as it works gradually to improve the lives of all workers. “This is all I ask, for us to be fair, for us to look at all we have done, for us to understand the commitments that I have made and for us to put the children first,” Ali continued by saying.
Sir Samaroo responded, “If you’re going to be passionate and loud about anything come out and tell us what the package is. Let us know that at the end of the year that we will get a 50% increase and everybody gon clear here from today…” Last Friday, the President made similar remarks, telling teachers protesting for better salaries, that there is no need for them to down tools; as he urged them to be patient. He noted that some interventions and measures will be coming by the end of this year because his government will be conducting a total evaluation for all categories of workers.
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