Striking teachers will lose pay; Education Ministry mum on number of “most teachers” who worked

Last Updated on Monday, 5 February 2024, 22:25 by Denis Chabrol

The Ministry of Education on Monday said teachers, who participate in an illegal strike, would lose pay, but declined to provide a figure on the number of educators who responded to the Guyana Teachers’ Union’s (GTU) call for industrial action to force government to the bargaining table for increased salaries and allowances.

“The Ministry of Education has accepted the opinion of the Ministry of Labour that it is illegal to pay teachers who do not report for duty without a legitimate reason,” the ministry said on day one of the strike.

A top education official declined to provide the percentage of teachers who were on duty on Monday, saying that the Education Ministry preferred to merely say “most” of the teachers turned out for work. “The Ministry of Education has noted, through its statistical analysis, that most teachers turned out for work today (Monday),” the ministry added. Deeming the strike “illegal”, the ministry thanked teachers who reported for duty and delivered lessons and promised that “they will be recognised” for their dedication towards ensuring the nation’s children receive the education they rightfully deserve.

For its part, a GTU official said 58.16 percent of teachers downed tools and stayed away from classrooms at many schools across Guyana.  Government said there are 13,652 teachers in Guyana but GTU’s membership is less than 4,500.

Reacting to threat to deduct pay from striking teachers’ salaries, union President Dr Mark Lyte told Demerara Waves Online News that, “we hold our ground that the strike is legal so let’s see.”

Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education, Saddam Hussain said teachers who locked up schools would be recommended for disciplinary action by the Teaching Service Commission or the School Boards Secretariat.

In its statement, the Education Ministry said it was “appalled at the illegal locking of schools by head teachers and the barring of students and teachers from entering some school buildings.” 

The Education Ministry said it strongly condemned threats meted out to teachers by GTU operatives and others through incendiary voice notes, text messages, phone calls and through cyberbullying. “The Ministry reiterates that the threat of the Union and its acolytes that teachers who do not turn up to strike will not be on “the benefits list” is empty. Particularly, the threat to withhold duty-free concessions cannot be realized as the Ministry is now administering that process.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education stopped short of conceding that a number of students were hard hit by the strike, advising parents that of “those students who are most affected” to ensure their children are academically engaged via  a number of learning platforms.

The ministry said educational content across grades and particularly for exam classes, is available on the Ministry of Education’s website, the Guyana Learning Channel (television and Youtube channel), and its recently launched app, EDPal as well as on the radio, EdYou FM. “These are timetabled and schedules of topics and times are published on the individual pages.”

Top GTU officials on Monday told reporters that the Labour Ministry’s Chief Labour Officer has refused to facilitate conciliation talks between the employer and the bargaining agent and then turned around and ruled out arbitration because the grievance procedure  has not been exhausted.