Dear Editor,
Thanks to Christopher Ram for his accounting analysis of vacancies in our various levels of schools, as advertised by the Teaching Service Commission – interestingly an annual exercise only, regardless of how perpetual these absences have been. Equally persistent is the Commis-sion’s determined refusal to renew and adjust the constipated 19 Grades’ Job Structure established in the Colonial era, compounded as it is by the most disillusionary compensation system in the Caribbean, of which this government pretends to be leader. It is most difficult to understand why the one group of professionals, committed to growing all others (including teachers) are the least recognised and so under-evaluated for their products who are praised for earning awards annually for their performance.
The Teaching Service Commission needs to invite a group of consultants to thoroughly examine the incidence of high level vacancies in our system. Incidentally there is a contention that many are currently entertaining acting appointees, who apparently now have to apply, like outsiders, since apparently there is no provision for evaluating acting, or indeed any substantive performances. Indeed, salary scales have become irrelevant, discouragingly constricted as they are, with the highest grade crowded with a Fixed Salary e.g. Principal CPCE – again ever since the Colonial era. Just why is this compensatory constipation is being so stubbornly maintained? But then, it not as if the Guyana Teachers’ Union is not a committed contributor to their members’ chagrin. Exactly, who is teaching whom not to learn to do better?
Sincerely,
E. B. John
