Manning (H): Teachers’ productivity should match their increases

Commenting on the planned shutdown of the entire school system on Friday by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Education Minister Hazel Manning yesterday said “What TTUTA is doing is their democratic right.” “It is time to negotiate, and they are at the table negotiating one more time,” she said, adding “I can only hope at the end of the day, whatever increase they get, a similar increase in productivity will ensue. “We really would like to see more given to the young people,” she pleaded, as “our concern really is to produce that child who would be able to cope and do well to develop in society, taking his/her place on the world stage.”

She admitted TTUTA’s decision was part of a democracy, and that the Ministry did not get involved in negotiations between the union and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). Contacted for an update on the march, TTUTA’s First Vice President, Sally Siriram assured Newsday that “All internal arrangements have been made, the districts have been informed and whatever gaps exist will be covered in the next few days.” “Central TTUTA is very ready and very prepared,” she promised. Seeking to allay the fears of persons that an entire shutdown of the school system was what TTUTA had planned, Siriram said teachers were being requested to assemble on the Brian Lara Promenade between Abercromby and St Vincent Streets, from 1.30 pm, on Friday May 28.

The procession will wend its way through the streets of Port-of-Spain, ending at the Queen’s Park Savannah. While this is only a partial shutdown, Siriram denied claims that TTUTA was seeking to close schools for the day. She said from all indications, teachers were prepared to stand behind the union in a positive way. Asked whether permission had been granted by the relevant authorities for the march, Siriram said all the requirements had been met by the union, and there was no reason why legal permission should be withheld. Questioned as to when the results of the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam would be out, Education Minister Hazel Manning simply said “It is on stream.”