— gov’t condemns GTU’s call for teachers to take industrial action

THE Ministry of Education has issued a statement condemning the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) for calling on teachers to strike, only two days after hundreds of teachers and students would have enthusiastically returned to their physical classrooms, following a 17-month hiatus, influenced by the coronavirus pandemic.

The ministry is adamant that the call for strike is not only irresponsible, but also baseless. “There is no grievance/basis for strike action,” the ministry said in a statement issued late last night.

At the forefront of the strike calls is General-Secretary of the GTU, Coretta McDonald – a Member of Parliament representing the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Opposition.

The Education Ministry believes that the calls are politically-motivated, and urged teachers, parents, and administrators of schools “not to fall prey to the political machinations of Coretta McDonald and the small cabal of self-serving individuals who have hijacked the Guyana Teachers Union.”

In emphasising the importance of resuming physical learning, the ministry pointed to the fact that children have been home from school for over 17 months, resulting in well-chronicled loss of learning and school-leaving (dropping out).

As a matter of fact, the Education Ministry said that since the pandemic started, and schools were forced to remain closed, more than 600 drop-outs were recorded at the primary level alone.

The country returned to physical learning following months of careful planning, and keen consultation with teachers all across the country, most of whom were cognisant of the realities facing children all across the country.

To this end, the ministry has described the GTU’s call for strike as being “uncaring and unconscionable” and not reflective of the realities of the present state of the COVID-19 pandemic nor the needs of the nation’s children. “We want all of our children engaged and in school and are working towards achieving this safely,” the ministry emphasised.

The statement went further to clarify that although physical learning has resumed, there is no mandatory requirement for children to be vaccinated to return to classrooms. “Vaccination of teachers is not mandatory and there are clear guidelines issued for those who do not want to be inoculated, all of this to keep teachers, their families, and our children safe,” the ministry said.

In keeping with the globally established mission that vaccines are the only way out of the pandemic, the ministry reminded that the Government of Guyana has spared no effort to make vaccines available to every member of the public, in an effort to return the country to a state of normalcy. “Multiple types and brands of vaccines are still available and easily accessible to all Guyanese,” the ministry reminded.

NO PAY AT PLAY
It went further to note that throughout the entire pandemic, all teachers continued to be paid their full salaries and benefits. “Our teachers have been accorded the status of a most valuable resource… there were no salary cuts or layoffs as in so many other countries,” the ministry said.

Notwithstanding the role of teachers, the ministry said that those who decide to strike will not be paid.

“The ministry calls upon the teachers of this country to reject the unconscionable call of the GTU, Coretta McDonald, and her political cohorts in favour of serving the children of our nation and advancing their education and socialisation as we exit this pandemic and reclaim our lives,” the ministry concluded.

In addition to adults, Guyana has also embarked on a massive vaccination campaign for adolescents throughout the country. It is hoped that once at least 85 per cent of all Guyanese are fully inoculated, the country can return to some level of normalcy.