ANGER OVER PAY

The scene was quite different when the same group took its protest to the Administrative Offices of Servol at Oxford Street in Port-of-Spain. People were seen peeping through the window of the offices but the no one came out to address the protestors. President of the Early Childhood Teachers Trade Union Jamiel Sydney led the protestors down St Vincent Street to the Ministry to protest monies owed as well as health and safety issues at ECCE Centres throughout the country.

This was not the only protest yesterday as, in the southland, angry COSTAAT student nurses, pounded the pavements demanding payment of their stipends and clarity in the length of time their training is to last.

(See story below) Minister Garcia told Sydney that the ECCE did not fall under the Ministry of Education but Government was working on amending the Education Act to bring the ECCE under the ministry’s ambit. Garcia informed Sydney-who prior had accused the Minister and Ministry of neglect - that Lovell argued for the rights of ECCE teachers during their meetings.

For example, he said, Lovell was very vocal on ECCE teachers having to remain in schools during vacation periods while other teachers did not have to.

The Education Act, Garcia said, covered the primary and secondary sectors. Garcia said it was recommended during the National Consultation held recently that the ECCE sector also be brought under the Education Act and this recommendation was currently before Cabinet.

He said when the sector is under the Ministry’s purview the teachers would have security of tenure and will not have contracts. Garcia apologised to Sydney for not having met before and asked his Communications Officer to schedule a meeting for them to discuss the issues. Garcia said, however, it would have to be scheduled after the budget debates. Sydney presented the Minister with a draft ECCE policy meant to govern the sector.

Lovell told the protestors that the terms and conditions for ECCE teachers were not determined by the Ministry but fell under the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). He added that for the last year the Ministry has been trying to curb teachers having to report to schools during the vacation periods. Lovell said to get anything done with respect to ECCE teachers, the ministry has to write to the CPO and then get a response from them.

He added that by the upcoming Christmas vacation period the ministry is trying to stop what he described as an, “anomaly.” “The Minister of Education have Early Childhood teachers throughout TT catching water from the roof with buckets. If you look at the Eastern Region you can see plenty of that. Plenty in South. Yet he comes and portrays himself as someone who is doing his job. Blasphemy,” Sydney charged.

He claimed that the Ministry was guilty of owing ECCE Teachers between nine and 15 years of gratuity. He said while prices were increasing their salaries are not. He claimed that the Ministry had not paid backpay to the teachers while all other groups were paid. “They paid all the primary school, all the secondary school, they paid the tertiary education but what happen to the real founders of early childhood? No money!” He said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley came to the union and by extension the Joint Trade Union Movement seeking to be elected. “Yet still the PM continue to encourage his Ministers to ill-treat ECCE teachers.” He said there is no director, no deputy director or manager in the ECCE Division at SERVOL.

“We will parang this Ministry every single month until this minister comes and meets with us,” Sydney said.

When Minister Garcia told Sydney to remove a sign which said ‘PNM liars’, Sydney replied he would only do so when the meeting between them has taken place adding he was taking Garcia’s promise of a meeting, “with a pinch of salt.” The union represents 8,000 early childhood teachers across the country and 500 schools.