Withdraw SBA opinion or face legal action, TTUTA tells CPO

DISAGREEMENT between the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and the TT Unified Teachers Association over who is responsible for marking school-based assessments (SBAs) may be heading to the court.

Attorneys acting on behalf of TTUTA have sent a pre-action protocol letter to the CPO, giving her 28 days to withdraw the opinion on marking SBAs or face legal proceedings.

Copies of the letter were sent to Education Minister Anthony Garcia as well as the Registrar of the Caribbean Examination Council.

In a June 27, 2018 memorandum to the Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, the CPO said marking SBAs is part of the duties of secondary school teachers.

She also saifd if they do not mark them they may face disciplinary action, citing the Code of Conduct of the Education (Teaching Service) Regulations, Chap. 39:01.

President of TTUTA Lynsley Doodhai said it has sought and received legal advice that marking SBAs is not part of teachers’ jobs and the CPO’s memorandum is erroneous.

Doodhai said although the legal letter was sent, and legal proceedings contemplated, the association remains open to a consensual resolution with the minister and the CPO.