— CoI favours extension of teachers’ retirement age to 65

By Zena Henry

THE discovery of “ghost teachers” was among several issues highlighted in the preliminary report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the state of the education system that was commissioned last year.
The report was handed over to Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine by CoI Chairman Ed Caesar on Friday. According to the veteran education administrator, the education system is facing financial management issues due to payments to non-existent teachers.

“We have seen paysheets with names of teachers who as far as the headteacher is aware, don’t exist. We have ghost teachers…” Caesar said, pointing out that some teachers were transferred to schools that do not exist.

Minister Roopnaraine said the information points to a criminal matter and the police could get involved. Caesar said the matter should be investigated by the ministry, pointing out that payroll and financial matters are the responsibility of a specific department within the ministry.

This department, he said, should check to ascertain how the fake names got onto the payroll and what systems are used for managing and monitoring the systems before an official report is made to the police. The report also found that teachers are interested in the retirement age being extended from 55 to 65 years old.

Caesar reasoned that once retirees provide a clean bill of health, consideration should be given to allow them to stay in the system until they attain age 65, pointing out that their experience and expertise are invaluable to the system.

On a different note, the commission has recommended that more research be done by the ministry to ascertain whether initiatives by the ministry are working as planned.

Caesar said the ministry’s planning unit should examine professional programmes and educational activities with the aim to ensure they are properly executed. He also pointed out that education inspectors should have their own unit, since their work entails smooth running of the school system.

The final leg of the CoI is expected to conclude within two to three weeks.
The veteran educator is hoping to get the inputs of members of the political opposition who once sat at the helm of the Education Ministry and were instrumental in moving it forward.

Caesar said contact was made with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo last December and was of the view that it is a matter of scheduling a date on their part (Opposition), rather than their unwillingness to respond to his invitation.