Dear Editor,
On an APNU+AFC Facebook live programme on the night of Tuesday 24th August 2021, APNU+AFC MP and General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Coretta Mc Donald complained that the Ministry of Education was giving Grade Six teachers extra time for their holiday because they had taught through the holiday period. She described this as a bad idea that was not properly thought out. Are you shocked? Yes, me too. Where else in the world does a union leader who cares about her teachers complain about extra time given to make up for the time the teachers spent teaching? She wanted to make a point here and actually said so, that the Ministry of Education did not properly think out that announcement. I am a Grade Six teacher and I speak for myself and all other grade six teachers when I say we are deeply grateful that the Minister listened to us and gave what we requested of her. Yes. That’s right. We asked for this. And we got it. Yet our union “leader” is trying to take it away from us. Imagine that. Coretta took her vaccine but says teachers don’t need to. Clearly having taken it she knows its value but never once has she spent any time explaining to teachers the life-saving nature of the vaccine. This union head seems more taken up with the politics of her party than genuinely looking out for the interests of teachers. In this period especially, teachers should not depend on Coretta Mc Donald for guidance. She is not a union leader. She is permanently wearing her political hat and would hurt us all to gain political points.
Sincerely,
Adron Pires
