Ministry slams TTUTA

TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai.
TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai.

UPDATE:

THE Education Ministry has slammed a reported decision by the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) for teachers not to mark School Based Assessments (SBA) as “highly irresponsible”, as the non-submission of SBA marks will result in failure for thousands of students. TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai, however, said they have made no such call.

The ministry in a release yesterday said the actions have the potential to negatively impact opportunities for scholarships and admission to tertiary education institutions, in addition to creating unnecessary anxiety and stress for students and parents. The ministry reported that following its 38th Annual Conference of Delegates, TTUTA indicated in Resolution #9, that teachers shall not mark any newly introduced SBAs including Mathematics and English A by CXC with immediate effect.

The ministry pointed out the union failed to recognise that the latest subjects with SBA components were introduced two academic years ago, back in 2016. “The Ministry of Education reiterates its commitment to ensuring quality teaching for every student, and providing the educational support services necessary to optimise the teaching and learning process while ensuring students’ future is not compromised.”

Doodhai told Newsday that local teachers have been marking SBAs and they have made no calls for them to stop nor does the association intend to do so. He said, however, there has been a concern throughout the Caribbean by various teacher unions that teachers were being asked to mark SBAs and the concern is that CXC is an external examining body.

“The feeling is teachers should be paid by CXC to mark SBAs just as they are paid to mark exam scripts.” He said the issue was taken up by the Caribbean Union of Teachers and one union in Barbados made the call for its members to desist from marking these SBAs. He explained the position of TTUTA is that teachers should not mark SBAs because it is not part of their job function and if they are to be asked they should be compensated.

Doodhai reported at the TTUTA annual conference in October certain resolutions were passed regarding SBAs, but the association did not seek to implement the resolution because they have been in consultation with their attorneys on the issue. He said the resolutions were not publicly divulged and the ministry probably got an internal document from the association where the SBAs were being discussed.

“While we hold that position we have not made any calls to our members as of now. We are waiting on attorneys who are considering the matter.”

He said if TTUTA was to make that call it would be at the beginning of the academic year to give CXC enough time to put measures in place for teachers to be paid. “In the next academic year the call could be made not to mark SBAs if teachers are not adequately compensated.”

ORIGINAL STORY

The Education Ministry has slammed the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) position that teachers will not mark Schools Based Assessments (SBA) in two subjects as "highly irresponsible" as the non-submission of SBA marks will result in failure for thousands of students.

"These actions have the potential to negatively impact opportunities for scholarships and admission to tertiary education institutions, in addition to creating unnecessary anxiety and stress for students and parents," the ministry said in a release on Wednesday.

The ministry reported that following its 38th Annual Conference of Delegates TTUTA indicated in its Resolution #9 that “teachers shall not mark any newly introduced SBAs including Mathematics and English A by CXC with immediate effect." The ministry pointed out the union failed to recognise that the latest subjects with SBA components were introduced two academic years ago, back in 2016.

The ministry said it recognised the value of the SBA as a means to achieve quality education. The ministry noted the SBA was introduced in 1979 as part of the CXC assessment structure and this system provides students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate their competence, allowing them to be active participants in the assessment process.

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