Plea for teachers of continuation classes

THE EDITOR: If the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is really interested in young people between the age of 17 and 24 (the same cohort Cudjoe and Rowley were referring to), they will need to take a second look at the programme officially called “Part-time Programme of Continuing Training and Education for Adults.”

For the benefit of the national community, this programme, known as the “Continuation Classes,” has been in existence for the past 22 years. It has been responsible for the success of many of our students who leave school with fewer than five passes at the CXC Level. In fact, in many schools, the results of the Continuation classes are far better than the results of the students who attend classes full-time. The value of the programme to the society is summarised below:
1) It enables students who need five O’level passes to enter the job market, A’Level and other tertiary institutions (ie COSTAAT) to gain the necessary qualifications.
2) Slower students have an opportunity to gain their certification, working at their own pace.
3) It removes many of the young school leavers from the streets and provides them with an opportunity to improve themselves
4) It links the school community and parents in the area with their school
5) Graduates from the Junior Secondary and Senior Comprehensive Schools can make up for the deficiencies of their system
6) Adults have a second chance to achieve basic academic qualifications
7) It concretises the concept of continuing education for all.

Despite the apparent successes of the programme, successive governments have been anything but supportive of the programme. For example , since 1981, the rate of pay for teachers was “pegged” at $27 an hour before tax. Today 2003, teachers are still paid that “princely”sum before 30 percent tax is deducted. No wonder teachers have not been eager to join the programme. The secretary is paid $7.50 an hour, which is well below the minimum wage. Yet, no one seems concerned with this highly unfair situation.

No doubt, the fact that the teachers are part-time and hence are not unionised has not helped their cause. But any good government or manager does not need a union to propel it towards actions of fairness, justice and equality. If the 2020 vision is to expand entry to tertiary education, and to increase educational potential of all its citizens, then there must be a concerted effort, not only to increase the O’Level pass rate at schools but of those who are outside of the school system - unless of course, we intend to remove or lower the entry barriers or provide other affirmative solutions.

PATRICK QUAN KEP
Princes Town