The Teaching Service Commission’s (TSC) dismissal of 30 teachers for different reasons has not gone down well with the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU).
But Education Minister Shaik Baksh is contending that the commission acted within its power and the union should have discussed the issue with ministry officials before going to the media.
A Government Information Agency (GINA) release last week said 30 teachers were dismissed for misconduct/ improper conduct, conduct unbecoming of a teacher, late notices of resignation and unauthorized absence. Teachers were also disciplined by way of interdiction, reprimand and probation.
President of the GTU, Colwyn King, via several media reports and in an interview with this newspaper recently, said the ministry did not follow the protocol as set out in an agreement it signed with the union back in 1990. According to that agreement, King said, if there was a problem in the school the head teacher should at his/her level try to bring the matter to a settlement. If s/he is unable to do so then it should be taken to the Regional Education Officer and if the matter is still unsettled, the Ministry of Education is the last resort.
King added that the teachers should then be charged at the ministry level and given a fair opportunity to defend themselves. This procedure, he said, was not followed when the teachers were dismissed and disciplined.
He said further that if at the ministry level there was no solution, the ministry could then make recommendations for disciplinary action and place the matter in the hands of the TSC.
“The Ministry of Education did not follow these stages,” King declared.
At a press conference on Wednesday last, in response to King’s assertions, Baksh told reporters that the GTU head should have sought an audience with ministry officials before going to the media.
He commended the TSC for its prompt and decisive action against those teachers found guilty of various offences, including sexual harassment in schools.
Further, Baksh stressed that all should work closely with the TSC to improve moral standards in the school system.
Responding directly to the comments made by King, the minister said there was no signed agreement with the union on disciplinary action but rather there was a document dating back some 20 years that deals with decisions between the Chief Education Officer and the union, including the disciplining of teachers.
The minister added that if a matter is not settled at the school level, it should be transferred to the Regional Education Department for further investigation.
He said the union official must be present during the investigation. According to him, the Department of Education is responsible for conducting the inquiries before forwarding them to the central Ministry of Education where they are further examined before being passed to the TSC. He said the commission conducted its own hearings and the teacher is given the right to appear in person and submit a defence in writing.
He added that there was a GTU representative on the TSC and he has also been informed that the representative also sits on the disciplinary committee.
Baksh said asking for the ministry to reconsider the recent cases was out of order and officials will do everything possible to ensure that teachers who breach the rules, especially in serious cases such as sexual offences, are put before the commission.
He urged the GTU to strive for the highest level of ethics and moral behaviour, adding that he wanted to see King doing that instead of defending teachers especially those who have been found guilty.
The ministry, Baksh said, will continue to ensure that high standards are maintained and he urged teachers, parents and other stakeholders to lend their support.
