PNM: Dress code for teachers

In making the announcement, yesterday, at the party’s post general council news conference at Balisier House in Port-of-Spain, PNM Chairman Franklin Khan said Education Minister Anthony Garcia had updated members about the situation, which he said, will be dealt with frontally.

Talks between Garcia and the T&T Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA), Khan claimed, had reached a “sensitive” stage.

Khan recalled that during his years in school, many of the male teachers had worn ties to work “but now the dress code has deteriorated significantly.” Khan said a poor dress code among teachers had far-reaching consequences in relation to the moulding of the country’s young, impressionable minds.

He said the lack of discipline in all aspects of national life, including schools, were rooted in many issues.

“And such matters simply go a long way in people’s psyche,” he said. TTUTA president Devanand Sinanan could not be reached for comment but head of the National Parent-Teacher Association (NPTA), Zena Ramatali, said her association stood firmly behind the move.

“The dress code has gone to a very low standard across the country and I am hoping that teachers would agree because we have students that see teachers as role models and if they are telling the students that they should adhere to the Code of Conduct for schools, we will hope that there will be a change of attitude in how they adorn themselves in the classroom,” she said.

Meanwhile, Khan said the committee Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had commissioned to review matters relating to the teaching of History in primary and secondary schools was nearing the end of its assessment and an announcement will be made soon.

On the upcoming Local Government election, Khan said the PNM will complete its screening of candidates for some 30 outstanding electoral districts on Thursday.