Dear Editor,
The GTU has called on teachers to strike from Monday, 5th February 2024, and thereby disrupt the learning process of students during an academic term which is only 11 weeks long and a precursor to the period during which students undergo ‘life altering’ examinations such as CSEC and NGSA.
While teachers have many concerns that need to be addressed like other professionals in this developing country, is strike action necessary now? As a secondary school teacher, I feel that 2024 has been one of the better years for us in terms of salary increases and matters related to the work environment. Unlike in past years where teachers only received a percentage increase on their salaries to start the new year, for 2024 we have benefitted in three ways: moving to the maximum of the scale for those with degrees (approx. $15,000 – $30,000 more), an allowance for qualifications such as DipEd and degrees and a 6.5% increase on our gross salary. While some have criticised the fact that teachers with just CPCE qualifications will not receive an allowance for their certificates I believe that as educators we need to continuously improve ourselves professionally and academically so as to offer a top tier educational experience to our learners and for our own advancement. Teachers should be incentivised to pursue at least a bachelor’s degree.
Additionally, we are tasked with less teaching periods and records and still do enjoy 13 weeks of ‘non-teaching’ per year during the school breaks. I believe the MoE while not perfect is striving to some degree to meet the needs of teachers.
There is room for improvement though where teachers’ concerns can be presented to the MoE through dialogue and mediation and not strike action as the first response. Furthermore, other parties such as the Regional Democratic Councils and Headteachers who have roles and responsibilities in upkeeping the structures (RDC), managing and reporting issues in the schools (HMs) are often shielded in public discourse when problems arise. Although, I am an impartial party it is perplexing how often the Minister of Education, whom I have never met, is called out for problems in schools. It’s as if people believe that she is aware of and responsible for everything that goes wrong in schools across the country, maybe she is an omniscient and omnipresent being.
Editor, while more can be done the MoE and GoG have instituted measures to improve the working conditions and salaries of teachers. Strike action at this time when teachers are enjoying fewer teaching periods and a better salary from last year would only affect the hapless children who are in no way responsible for the issues teachers face.
Yours sincerely,
Public school teacher
(Name and address provided)
