– WPA urges gov’t

THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) party has come out in support of teachers in their demand for a 40 per cent wages increase or consequential industrial action, positioning that the government should “give the teachers their due”.

In a press statement on Monday, the political party credited the country’s “deteriorating public education system” to the current state of the teaching profession whereby teachers are poorly paid.

“According to most informed observers, this has in turn negatively affected both the morale and the quality of work of the teachers,” the party said, adding: “It stands to reason, therefore, that any improvement of our education outcomes must be partly premised on improving the quality of instruction in the classrooms.

“It is in that spirit that WPA unequivocally supports the teachers’ demands for increased wages. We see this as an indispensable incentive for improved teacher instruction.

Improving the wage package for teachers creates the condition for government to better hold the teachers accountable for improved practice and better outcomes. Better wages for teachers will not automatically turnaround the performances of students —much more needs to be done. But if teachers are better compensated, the opportunities for more commitment by teachers would be enhanced.”

Meanwhile, as the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) threatens industrial action beginning August 27, the WPA also stands with teachers in this regard on the grounds that it is “their civil right to take legitimate action in pursuit of those demands.”

The WPA chastised the Ministry of Education for its intent to initiate emergency plans in the case of the strike which may see temporary teachers being hired or schools, where there is no adult supervision, being closed.

“Rather than trying harder to arrive at an agreement, the Ministry of Education, according to reports, appears to be more concerned with hiring scab-labour to counter the teachers’ threat. This insensitivity towards the teachers’ reasonable demands is at odds with President Granger’s strident education activism and advocacy for increased and improved access to quality education by our children,” the statement said.

Overall, the WPA referred to the ordeal as “a matter that could be easily solved” further suggesting that “the government is committing political suicide by picking a fight with teachers”.

However, at recent interactions between the GTU and the Ministry, Education Minister Nicolette Henry stated just the opposite when she explained that the Ministry, presently, is financial incapable of supplying a 40 percent salary increase across the board.

The Ministry had, instead, proposed a ball-park figure to deal with salary and debunching for teachers of $700M and $200M respectively.

“We needed to address that issue and so we gave a figure on what is available in terms of financing to address the debunching issue. Once the debunching issue is addressed and teachers in this instance can be categorised and put into scales, then it will give you an opportunity to give what is allocated to salary increases in the respective categories… There is certainly nothing sinister or there is certainly no ulterior motive in awarding the ball park figure, because that came up in the discussion. I just wanted to provide that clarity because I believe that teachers and the Guyanese people need to understand what was proposed and why it was proposed,” Henry had clarified at a previous meeting.
The proposed figure is separate from several arrived-at mutual consensuses under the Teachers Multi-year Agreement which include: improved salaries for senior teachers; specialists to assist head teachers at schools with dormitories; return fare once per term for hinterland teachers; reduction in class sizes for some schools and the addressing of the teachers house revolving fund.

Others include duty free concessions for teachers; payment of the Whitley Council leave allowance and others.

However, with no agreement on salary and debunching payments, the Union has sustained its plan for strike action later in the month even as it maintains that the Government can afford more.

Henry has since responded that there are Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) which guide the ministry in the event of such actions which includes arbitration if negotiation fails.
“If we genuinely believe that there are no other steps and we have exhausted all at the Ministry of Education… once they activate conciliation it is out of my hand,” Minister Henry had said.

However, she believes that teachers can understand the current financial position of the nation and therefore, stated:

“I want to say, teachers, that the Government of Guyana continues to care for you and we will ensure that as far as possible you get what we can afford. We promised a good life for all and we will work on what we have within our fiscal space to ensure the best we can do.”