Wage freeze for teachers

THE EDITOR: Public servants recently received 15 percent salary increase but teachers still getting higher salaries than them. Remember in 1999, they conned the UNC to give them 30-60 percent increases to come on par with the private sector. TTUTA should be ashamed to ask for more pay because they already getting more pay than most public servants who are more qualified than them. Judge for yourself from the following; Newsday 8/4/04: Association for Improvement of Education in TT “have expressed alarm over the continuing deterioration of SEA results at several schools over the last four years. I wonder if teachers can understand this? Newsday 15/5/04: Minister announces CXC results show 45 percent fail English and 50 percent fail Maths. In the government schools the figures might be 65 percent and 75 percent.

I wonder if teachers understand this? Guardian June 5, 2004: Mr McMaster, Teacher III, says Education system teaching ignorance - “too many of our children are either not supervised, badly supervised, or more specifically, not taught, when and what they ought to be taught, while at school” I want the COP to pay attention to these three statements when negotiating with them now. Also remember the old saying to teach is to cause to learn. Mr Taxpayer, do you think they deserve more pay now? Check this; a primary school Principal gets $9,241 per month, a vice Principal gets $7,290 per month. They have a Teachers Diploma and experience (not managerial). A public servant with a BSC degree, has much greater responsibilities, but gets $5,554 per month. An Assistant primary school teacher gets $4,018 per month. They have 5 ‘O’ Level subjects.

A clerk II in the public service also has 5 ‘O’ level subjects and 10-15 years experience but gets $3.630 per month. A Primary school teacher has 5 ‘O’ levels and a diploma getting $4,582 per month. An agricultural assistant also has 5 ‘O’ levels and a diploma but getting $4,255 per month. Check free money for 13 weeks, vacation and 5 weeks casual and sick leave. 450 retired teachers getting pension, NIS and salary as contract teachers, but since 1999 they can’t find replacement for them. This money can employ 1400 young teachers. That is progress in education? The Government is asked to look at this article and judge if teachers need a pay rise now. Freeze their salaries.

JOHN  HERNANDEZ
San Fernando