Assisted schools want ‘even hand’

THE ASSOCIATION of Principals of Assisted Secondary Schools (APASS) is calling on the Ministry of Education to “treat all schools with an even hand” by staffing the denominational secondary schools with a better “quota system” and remuneration packages for qualified teachers. The APASS represents over 41 Assisted Secondary Schools across the country.

A press release from the APASS stated that the staffing of the secondary schools is discriminatory since the quota system dictates the allocation of one non-graduate post for every two graduate posts. This, according to the Association, threatens to undermine the efficiency of the schools. The association pointed out that the policy that is now in place is contrary to Section Four of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, which provides for the right of the individual to equality of treatment from any public authority in the exercise of any of its functions.

In addition the association noted that the policy ignores the collective agreement which governs the terms and conditions of the service of teachers and guarantees that teachers be classified in accordance with their assessed qualifications. It also discriminates against the students assigned to denominational schools who are entitled to equal quality teaching as their counterparts in the government schools. It also serves as a disincentive to teachers in the denominational schools who feel victimised by this quota system and must accept salaries that are not in line with their qualifications and which frustrates the administrators, who are constrained by the system and find it more and more challenging to maintain a high quality teaching environment in their schools. The APASS is now calling on the ministry to abide by the terms and conditions of the service of teachers, which guarantees remuneration in line with their assessed qualification.