–MoE says

THE Ministry of Education is advising teachers who have not taken part in the recent Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) strike action not to be fearful of any threats of backlash being peddled by the GTU.

The Education Ministry noted in a press release on Saturday that since the strike actions began earlier this week, several recipients of GTU-facilitated Government of Guyana scholarships have complained that they are being told their scholarship would be in jeopardy if they do not participate in the strike. The ministry seized the opportunity to remind everyone that the GTU cannot revoke scholarships granted to any teacher.

“The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Service, wishes to make explicitly clear that scholarships are not granted based on anyone’s political affiliation, nor whether they support strike action or not, and would not be taken away because of the same,” the Ministry of Education said.

The ministry further highlighted that the GTU does not have jurisdiction to revoke “any scholarship” that was granted to a teacher by the Government of Guyana, even if said scholarship came from the arrangement between the Government and the Union.

The release further noted that the Ministry of Education is aware that the promise of duty-free concessions and the power to withhold said concessions are being used in these circumstances to gain participation in the strike.

“We reject all attempts by politically- motivated forces within the GTU to threaten those teachers who have chosen not to participate in the present strike action, and ask that good sense prevail as we work in earnest to move the education system forward, and meaningfully engage our children academically at this time of international crisis. The Ministry of Education is making it clear to teachers who do not want to participate in strike action that they cannot, and will not be punished, and that the Ministry will guarantee their protection,” the ministry stated in its release.