Improving conditions for teachers

Photos and interviews by
Melissa Charles

Sudesh Rampersaud, Painter: ‘Teachers are very important and to my knowledge they are not being treated fairly. They need better facilities at the schools they teach and more interest should be shown in them and then they would show more interest in the children they teach. And of course they need better salary. I think that one of the main reasons so many private schools are popping up and getting business is because parents believe that private teachers are being paid more and therefore would show better interest in their children. At the end of the day everyone is looking for more money and the teachers will leave for where they get more.’

Dyoni Williams, Self-employed: ‘Enough is not being done for teachers who pay a very big part in our society. First of all they definitely need a bigger salary. There should be workshops and fellowships focused on teaching teachers how to adequately deal with the stress involved in teaching other people’s children.
For teachers’ day something special should be done. I know that on the day they would probably get a bouquet or treated to lunch or something. But that is not enough; something else needs to be done or we will continue to lose the best in the system.’

Timetra Layne, Teacher: ‘There must be other things that can be done for teachers. Provide land or other little benefits that will contribute to making life easier. Even if a raise in salary is not possible then I’m sure there are other benefits they can implement because as of now there isn’t any. Then there isn’t proper disciplinary measures in place to deal with children, that’s another thing the Ministry needs to look into seriously because soon teachers are going to leave because they cannot handle the indisciplined children anymore.’

David Mangru, Self-employed: ‘The fact is that their salary is too low and that is what contributes to the young and not- intelligent- enough teachers in the system now. Those teachers who know the business well and have invested a lot in educating themselves will leave for greener pastures. Some sort of programme needs to be implemented to help advance some of the teachers in the systems, because some of them aren’t willing to work with students. I have children at school and sometimes they come home with incorrect work marked correctly. Another thing is that some teachers hardly call parents for work related problems but when there is school sports or other things where parents have to donate things to the school they call you. And when you complain about certain things they aren’t doing they will tell you they aren’t being paid enough – so can you really blame them? And generally speaking the Ministry needs to step up the requirements for entrance in to the teaching system because it seems anyone can be a teacher.

Oneeka Brown, Teacher: ‘Well as a teacher the first thing I can say is that our salary is not enough, we and public servants on the whole need more money. Teachers need more benefits to keep us here.
Our work load is increased all the time with additions to the curriculum and more intense record taking duties but no additional benefits. And another thing is that children are going out of control, parents just send them to school and some of them are very indisciplined. The ministry needs to implement stricter disciplinary measures to help teachers deal with children- they spend more time at school with teachers, than home. Additionally parents need to cooperate more.  Helping their children a little at home will make our job a little easier.’

John Piggott, Vendor: ‘Teachers are very important because they mould children who are the future of society.
Education is the key to a good future and teachers provide the basis for such. If they aren’t treated properly then they aren’t going to stay here. Therefore more has to be done for them. The primary thing that they need is a good salary. And other benefits are more than welcomed. The bottom line remains that if teachers are paid better they will remain here.’

Surujnauth Sukhram, Security officer: ‘A lot of schools have teacher shortages and therefore something is responsible for those that were here leaving and for others not willing to get into the system. And everyone knows the reason -no one is willing to work for what they cannot survive on. Although teachers are public servants they should be treated better that the others because they play a more important role than an office clerk. Government really needs to improve standards for teachers and also improve the standards of the teachers themselves.’

Jennifer Felix, Vendor: ‘My grandfather was a Headmaster – a grade ‘A’ Headmaster mind you. He dedicated almost 50 years of his life to teaching. He died still in the system and what did he gain for it -nothing.
Maybe just a sense of satisfaction – knowing that he contributed to his country, but nothing else. Although a lot of teachers have left there are still teachers like him in the system and more needs to be done for them.
They need a better salary and some benefits. Maybe special allowances or access to loans. Teachers are not being treated properly here.’

Oneta Glasgow, Student: ‘Well without my teachers where would I be. They are important because my parents would not have the time to teach me what they do even if they could. They need to be treated better though. Students need to show more respect and teachers need more resources to effectively teach us. Improvements need to be made to schools’ facilities where they spend most of their time with children that do not belong to them. And of course they need better salaries.’

Ashmini Prasad, Confidential Legal Secretary: ‘Teachers are our children’s mentors, they teach them, spend more time with them that most parents. However they classify as public servants and we all know that public servants are       underpaid and work under stressful situations. But they definitely need some improvements. Better salaries, benefits, scholarships to enhance their education so that they can impart knowledge to our children more effectively. If the current trends continue then in a few years we might not have any proper teachers in the system. And what will happen to the children then?’