“Teachers, I want to assure you that we value the work you do” – Min. Henry
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn0PJ9KXeOE” width=”100%” height=”315″]
─ “We know that you are ordinary people doing extraordinary things”
─ Minister optimistic that GTU and govt will find an amicable solution on the matter
─ Out of eight proposals put forward by the union, there has been a partial agreement in seven areas
– MOE’s nationwide campaign continued in Regions Four and Three
DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry today, assured teachers that under her leadership, the longstanding issues of wages and salaries will be resolved once and for all.
“Teachers, I want to assure you that we value the work you do and we know that you are ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” Minister Henry stated.
The minister was speaking to parents and teachers at the Hope Secondary School on the East Bank Demerara and she also addressed stakeholders at Queen’s College in Georgetown, Region Four, as well as those at the West Demerara Secondary School, Region Three.
The meeting is part of the ministry’s nationwide campaign to reach out to parents and teachers to assure them of the government’s steadfast support to the education sector in the face of the current circumstance.
In the event of a strike by teachers, the ministry will be activating its contingency plan on September 3. Some 400 students of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), and a number of retired teachers are on standby. Monitors will be deployed in every region to monitor the attendance and punctuality of teachers.
“This issue started years ago, this is not the first time the education sector was threatened by a strike. My predecessors had to deal with the same issue. I intend for it to stop with me, I want to put this issue to rest,” Minister Henry emphasised.
She expressed optimism that the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the government will find an amicable solution on the matter. In the interim, the minister said that “our children must not be forsaken,” it is important that the nation’s children benefit from the education they deserve.
The Education Minister reminded the teachers and parents of the discussions held between the ministry and the GTU during this month to reach an agreement. She noted that out of the eight proposals put forward by the union, there has been a partial agreement of seven areas.
Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson encouraged the parents to send their children out to school come September 3, as schools will be in session as per normal.
“…We want to ensure that our children are not pawns of any bargaining system. We need to keep our children out of any bargaining issue.” Hutson also encouraged the parents to play their part in ensuring the students benefit from a quality and equitable education.
Synieka Thorne
Image: Keno George