Dear Editor,
I would like to extend on behalf of the executives of the Upper Demerara Branch of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, happy World Teachers’ Day to all teachers.
As educators we are cognizant that education is a means of sharpening the mind of man both spiritually and intellectually. It is a two-edged sword that can be used either for the progress of mankind or for its destruction. That is why it has been our constant desire and endeavour as teachers, the true nation builders, to develop our education for the benefit of mankind.
We are now more than ever before convinced that it is education that can heal the racial, religious and political divide that is denying Guyana ‘real’ development for all of its citizens.
As we celebrate this occasion let’s continue our efforts in making education fun and relevant. Let us aspire to make the teaching-learning experience, one that is not monotonous, but exciting, and our pupils/students more aware as to why we do what we do. Let us strive to extend our efforts to teach our children to teach themselves when they are out of the school’s learning environment.
Education develops the intellect, and the intellect distinguishes man from other creatures. It is education that enables man to harness nature and utilize her resources for the well-being and improvement of his life. The key for the betterment and completeness of modern living is education.
In this celebration let us always be aware of the ever-present fact that each student is unique and therefore our methods, strategies and approaches in delivering our content must be broad-based to cater for the differences between individuals.
As educators let us be reminded that it is of vital importance that we keep up to date with what is new, not only in our field of study, but the changing world. Let us take up the challenge to re-inspire ourselves as well to learn new things on a regular basis and have fun in the process.
Let us be passionate about what we teach and continue to provide challenges for the nation’s children. Let us continue relentlessly in encouraging creativity in our students and challenge them to think outside the box for new possibilities and solutions that would contribute to a better society, a better Guyana and a better world for all of us.
I pen these words with the hope as we celebrate under the theme ‘Invest in the future invest in our teachers,’ that this new academic year will be one in which the members of this noble profession will be treated with the seriousness that has been denied them for far too long by its paymaster; and that the untapped potential the Guyana Teachers’ Union possesses will be used to get its demands met by government without the mendicant approach.
As nation builders we deserve more. Why are our teachers who are trained graduates paid less than US$600 a month? And tiny islands like Trinidad, Barbados and St Lucia pay their teachers two and three times more than us. This is a country God has blessed with a plethora of natural resources and a population that can fit into one of our four natural regions, but it rewards teachers with so little, when friends, family and foreign interests get the cream of the pot. Don’t we all as Guyanese deserve more?
I am optimistic that the union will act on the realization that teachers need to be given more resources, greater recognition and most importantly, better representation. The time has come; the time is now; give our teachers what is due.
Yours faithfully,
Jermaine Figueira
Chairman
Upper Demerara Branch GTU
