Dear Editor,
Please allow me to respond to the letter titled “Could more oil income be linked to better benefits for teachers?” written by M. Singh and dated February 8, 2024. In this letter the writer arrives at some interesting conclusions about the current teachers’ strike in Guyana. For example, M. Singh concludes that the GTU and teachers have never spoken out about the unfair contract with Exxon and they have left the KN, SN, and civil society groups to do the protesting. M. Singh also claims that the striking teachers do not see the link between (more) better oil income and better benefits for teachers.
M. Singh, teachers do see the link between the two; and that’s exactly why they are demanding higher salaries and better working conditions overall. They are fully aware that at this juncture the government can do much better for them and the students they teach. Regarding M. Singh’s call for us to have a conversation about why so many of our students are failing, perhaps M. Singh should do their own critical thinking and try to see the connection between “the many students (are) failing”, and teacher compensation and working conditions. Further, why does M. Singh, believe that any group of workers in Guyana should be disqualified from demanding higher compensation and better working conditions for themselves because they do not officially and belligerently protest Guyana’s current oil deal with Exxon?
M. Singh seems to miss the point about improved teacher compensation and student performance. Whereas improved teaching and better student results aren’t guaranteed to improve significantly immediately with a 100% increase in compensation, greater teacher morale is bound to improve appreciably. And over time, this could result in more
qualified candidates entering the teaching profession. Bundled with greater government spending on teacher training and support systems, a more equitable distribution of educational resources, school buildings, labs, schoolbooks, internet access, extracurricular activities, etc., Guyana’s education system can become the envy of the Caribbean. Overall, whereas I do highly support M. Singh’s appeal for more of the major workers’ unions to get involved in the struggle for Guyana to press Exxon for a better oil contract, his rhetoric is noticeably divisive. Guyana’s workers must unite.
Sincerely,
Quintin Payne
