By Rabindra Rooplall

IN its fourth week of protest, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is calling on President David Granger to intervene; but if the administration does not address the burning issue of teachers’ promotion, then countrywide strike action could be on the cards.Some of the placards in the protest read: “A frustrated teacher cannot perform at maximum, students may suffer”; “We found them to be dishonest”; “We tired of the same over and over”; “Letter went out and Leila ain’t know”; “TSC we need honesty and respect”; and “Who must go? The Leila Ramson Commission.”

CALLS FOR NEW TSC
President of the GTU, Mark Lyte, said there is need for a new commission, but there has been a limited response from the administration to replace the body, which the union contends is not working in the interest of teachers.

“I believe there is a deliberate effort to frustrate our teachers who are due their promotions, and this matter should have been resolved since last December; but the commission continues to drag its feet, saying it’s unable to deal with the concerns of the GTU,” Lyte said.

FRUSTRATED
He noted also that the GTU’s position is that there have been too many teachers who have, over the years, been frustrated based on their eligibility and the criteria used for promotions.

“We are calling on President Granger to intervene, because the President has the authority to change the commission. So far, we have written to him and have gotten no response, which does not augur well. We are contemplating moving to the next level, which would result in a nationwide strike in order to address our concerns,” Lyte declared.

A countrywide strike by all teachers is a last resort, the GTU president noted, but he said it appears as though the government is acting at snail’s pace; and if the interests of teachers and students are not taken care of in the classroom, then there would be a ripple effect within communities.

“I think they should suspend debates in Parliament and deal with this matter, because it’s urgent and affecting our children, since our teachers are not in the right frame of mind to do their job because of this matter,” Lyte said.

MULLING STRIKE ACTION
He said that as early as next week the union will decide if the countrywide strike will commence, if there is no favourable response from the administration. The strike will be in the form of teachers not reporting to work.

PROMOTIONS CRITERIA
Meanwhile, GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald said that, over the years, the union has been saying to the commission that its criteria for promotions are an incorrect method by which to judge teachers.

“The TSC have been going ahead and doing promotions against what is supposed to be done. Teachers were interviewed, their applications were looked at, and many were judged based on what communities say; and teachers have not been promoted to schools that would have been their first choice,” she contended.

The GTU General Secretary said the criteria should speak to experience and qualifications, and not what comments a community has made pertaining to a teacher. “If that is followed, then we have no need for application forms; persons can just come in and say I want to go to this school or that school and you appoint them to the school; and the TSC, over the years, are yet not willing to comply and correct blunders that they have been making.”

She said the GTU is tired of having clashes with the TSC, and is now calling on President Granger to intervene to dissolve the commission.