TTUTA prepared to go to court

THE TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is gearing for a court battle against government after Education Minister Anthony Garcia and Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis both said that marking school based assessment (SBA) papers are part and parcel of a teacher’s duties.

TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai yesterday said that both Garcia and Robinson-Regis were being contradictory when they said the marking of the SBAs was a normal duty of teachers but also said there is a need for government to consult with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and a legal team for advice.

“Therefore if they are doing that they are in a process of a fraudulent position. How can they say teachers have to mark SBAs but then say they (government) have to consult on this issue?

It is confusing and contradictory because if you are seeking advice on the position of the association that teachers are to mark these papers, how can you come out and make a definitive statement that teachers have to mark it? That does not make any sense,” Doodhai said.

He added however, that TTUTA will await a definitive position of the Education Ministry, and once the association is not satisfied with that position. then they will be prepared to petition the courts for a further legal determination on the matter.

“If the ministry comes up with the position that teachers have to mark the SBAs, we will not take it lightly and we will challenge the matter through the courts.

We are firm in our minds that it is not the job of a teacher to mark SBAs,” Doodhai said.