Dear Editor,
The Good Hope Secondary School is experiencing various problems. For example: The timetable that is actively used does not allocate time for the general assembly sessions, which lasts for about 20-30 minutes on some days and takes time away from the students’ first period’s time. Accounting for this will clear up misconceptions and false reports of non-attendance for teachers for tending to their duties such as marking registers, interacting with their base classes and time taken to deliver the register to the office and return to teach the class to which they are assigned for said period. These reports frequently result in teachers being verbally bombarded and belittled by the school’s heads; for circumstances, which are out of their control. It contributes significantly to the feeling of inferiority and inadequateness that comes from being a teacher at the above-mentioned school. It should also be noted that the majority of the records are either temporary or incomplete which poses great difficulty for the teachers to navigate and utilize effectively.
By the ministry instructions, the school was allocated four thousand dollars ($4000) per child to assist class teachers with whatever is needed in the classroom. However, the school is still asking students for donations to fix said classrooms. This is because the teachers were not given the monies to purchase things in order to create a wholesome learning environment; the administrative staff withheld the monies. They selected persons of their liking to purchase cheap materials, which were then distributed to the staff members in place of the monies. Each class was given about 10 sheets of cardboards, a few pens, a few sharpeners, two singular tapes, a singular meter ruler, a small bin, three premade aids, a white out pen, a mat, a clock, some wooden markers, highlighters, three single rolls of toilet papers and two bottles of glue. To put into perspective, each class has about thirty students and if we multiply 4000gyd by 30 students then the monies for each class would amount to $120,000. It would not take $120,000 to provide such little resources for each class, so where did the rest of the money go? The administrative staff pressured teachers to sign a document, which claims that they are aware of what the monies were spent on but this is not so.
The teachers ask for donations from students, as they are to follow instructions that are sent by the persons in charge, this is unfair to the students as well as the parents and teachers who are aware of the grants given by the Ministry. Another point to note is the unprofessional behaviour of senior staff members towards the junior staff members. Majority of the junior staff members are treated with little to no respect and care as they are spoken to crudely and treated, as though they are insignificant by persons in authority and/or persons who the administration favours.
Effective communication, transparent workspace policies, and a fair allocation of resources are essential to maintaining a harmonious and productive work environment. This is something that is conveniently forgotten by the leaders of Good Hope Secondary School.
In conclusion, Good Hope Secondary School fosters a toxic working environment. It suffocates its teachers and everyone who comes into contact with it. The administration is misplaced and misguided; this will result in many issues for the teachers of the school and will ensure that betterment never comes as long as changes are not made.
Sincerely,
(Name and address supplied)