Mrs Manning is out of order
THE EDITOR: The recent public attacks by Education Minister Hazel Manning on the nation’s teachers have been most unfortunate and unwarranted. Teachers continue to be in the frontline in handling the needs of tens of thousands of the nation’s children on a daily basis and comments made by public figures have resulted in the general population viewing the nation’s caregivers in a negative light. Mrs Manning needs to be aware that all areas of education today have become subject to rapid change brought about by the information and technological revolution. Instead of condemning teachers for pursuing additional studies, all efforts should be made to facilitate the upgrading of teachers’ skills in information technology and in numerous other areas. Efforts need to be made to get more teachers involved in courses at the UWI, COSTAATT and other institutions rather than chastising those who pursue such courses. Why are they being attacked by the very same persons who will condemn them for being stagnant and not taking the initiative towards self-development? It’s about time that the TTUTA president, Clyde Permnell starts doing what he was elected into office to do: seek the welfare of the nation’s teachers. Where are the long-promised allowances? What about sabbaticals? Hazel Manning should know that while she boasts of the Government "filling the book bags" of the children with free books, Barbados is filling the book bags of primary and secondary school students with one thing — a laptop computer. Already 80 percent of Barbadian students have laptops with the remaining 20 percent to be attained within the year! And that is a country without the billions in oil and gas revenue. JEROME CHAITAN
Arouca
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"Mrs Manning is out of order"