Rehired ex-teachers claim Education Ministry abuse

RETIRED teachers, who have been hired by the Ministry of Education on contract as assistant teachers and remedial instructors, are wondering how long it would take for them to get their January salaries and have expressed dissatisfaction with the way the ministry is treating them. Several rehired retirees have complained to Newsday that the ministry is “taking our services for granted.” Some of the retirees who were hired in September on a one-year contract did not receive salaries until January 13. And now salaries for January are due, but they are late. One irate teacher told Newsday his salary was expected to be in the bank last Wednesday, but when he checked yesterday, it was not there.

He also expressed disgust at the ministry’s approach in dealing with them. He explained that some 200 retirees were rehired last September in response to an advertisement to fill vacancies under a special programme within the ministry. After being interviewed and accepted, they were given a confidential letter to take to the principal of the school to which they were assigned. However, they got no additional correspondence from the ministry regarding the terms and conditions under which they were hired. One teacher told Newsday he learnt contracts were usually given close to the end of the one-year period, “which makes no sense.”

“We are working on hearsay and when it comes to crunch time, say if someone levels any allegations against us, we can be fired just so, because we have nothing to show in terms of a legal binding contract,” said one disgruntled teacher. Another teacher said, “We are being treated without courtesy.” They are appealing to the ministry to regularise the way they are dealing with the matter. The ministry’s communications specialist, Mervyn Critchlow, yesterday advised the teachers: “If they have concerns, there are procedures in the ministry to deal with it and they should follow them.”