Dear Editor,
Quite often close attention and sharp rebuke are showered on erring public service institutions. Many times such action is warranted. But there are brethren nationwide residing right in the midst who elude sustained scrutiny. They are in full public view, but might as well be a secret society. This group is called teachers.
They can be senior or junior; veterans or apprentices. But too many of them (not all) are about exploitative conduct, cheating the system, and an ongoing conspiracy of perverse practices. Actions run the gamut: demanding dollars (not $5,000) from parents for well-qualified students to be accepted at CAPE; participating in borderline, if not outright, unethical efforts (for a fee, of course) with students and their SBAs; and committing the fraud of taking on disciplines for which they have neither training nor talent.
To top things off, they then would importune others to review what they are unable to handle and thus perpetuate the trickery and the mockery, too. It is anybody’s guess how deep and wide such behaviours go; how lengthy this monstrous snake in the bosom is. That would be the bosom of the poor, the vulnerable, and the fearful, if not the menaced.
Separately, there is familiarity with some PTA antics and calculating educators who have sold themselves, sold the children down the drain, and sold the bewildered parents a pig in a poke. I will care for your child. Except that payment is due on the first of each month. It is a nice racket.
As I reflect, I remember fondly the stalwarts of yesteryear: Mr B A Adams, JRS Luck, J O E Roberts, Moriah Welcome, and Loris Heywood. Their energy and care and zeal were surpassing and still ring multiple decades later. Call it conspicuous dedication to duty. Consistent delivery is just as fine. Undoubtedly, each one of them (and the rest) could have complained rightly about poor pay. They still delivered.
So what is going on today, really prevailing, in the vast territory of local educators? The trusted and altruistic and professional are growing older, and fading away. Some of the old have learned new tricks in the Guyanese sweepstakes called education. Beyond the classroom educators flourish untouched behind the ring of cash registers. It is here, post 15:00hrs that spirited endeavours to impart and improve take place.
There are tricksters in the nursery fold, as well as schemers all the way to the helm. So what is present? The image of out-of-control minibus touts preying upon commuters comes to mind. Except that the barely resisting audience consists of children. In view of the proliferation of reports, I submit that there are more than a few rogues prancing around in academic apparel.
I further submit that the future ethical architecture, so direly needed by this country, is already tarnished and demolished by what happens in the classroom on a daily basis, and far afield. It is executed from the head of the class.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
