SEA takes spotlight again

TTUTA

THE SECONDARY Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam has always been, and unnecessarily so, a super high-stakes exercise that plays a significant role in maintaining the societal class differential. This year the stakes seemingly got higher with the advent of covid19 and the exam postponement from March to a date to be determined.

No sooner than the Minister of Education announced that the eagerly anticipated exam will be held on August 20, and that Std 5 teachers and principals will be given a stipend to return to school from July 20 along with the Std 5 students, the expressions of condemnation of teachers were flying left, right and centre.

Social media commentators sprang into action from their sanctimonious rooftops to label teachers as heartless mercenaries who only care about money. The minister was careful to point out that consultations were held with many stakeholders, including TTUTA, before Cabinet made this decision. What was skilfully omitted was that the entire proposal to have the SEA in August was stoutly rejected by TTUTA, stipend notwithstanding.

The records will reflect that during the discussions between TTUTA and the Ministry of Education/inter-ministerial team, at no time did the union make any demand for any form of monetary compensation as a precondition to preparing students to sit the exam.

When the idea of the August sitting was floated, bearing in mind that this will coincide with the vacation period of teachers, TTUTA quite rightfully indicated that the Chief Personnel Officer will have to be brought into the picture to hammer out mutually agreed terms of engagement within the existing legal framework, mindful that no minister has the authority under the law to negotiate compensation packages with any union for public officers.

This submission from TTUTA was ignored and a stipend package was proposed along with the August 20 date for the union’s consideration. This the union’s general council rejected as being offensive and insulting. TTUTA maintained that based on issues of equity, health and safety, as well as sound pedagogical/educational considerations, the exam should be held in October as originally proposed by the ministry and endorsed by TTUTA and other stakeholders.

The records will also show that teachers across the board have been doing their best to engage their students in online/remote learning, using their own resources, albeit in an ad-hoc manner, but mindful of the unique pandemic circumstances. Secondary teachers were asked to report to schools since June 6 to assist their students in completing their SBAs and IAs and have been dutifully doing so.

It is most unfortunate that the advice of a major stakeholder, the education professionals, was ignored in this decision. Once again claims of consultations by the authorities were token and designed to deceive. The fact that an inter-ministerial team was established to intervene in the decision to set the date for the SEA suggests that various sectoral interests perhaps took precedence over the welfare of the entire cohort of students slated to sit the exam this year.

The SEA stakes are indeed high and failure to placate certain sectoral interests can translate into serious political ramifications it would seem. Twenty million dollars, money that the Government does not have, will ensure that the loud and powerful sectoral interest have their way.

In the interim, schools languish for repairs, equipment, and basic supplies. Teachers continue to be owed increments and acting allowances for years, with the authorities offering the constant refrain that they have no money. This decision is being seen by TTUTA as a naked attempt to divide and rule, breaking the proverbial back of the union to lure teachers.

Our nation’s children are being used as political pawns with principles of equity and quality being sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. It is hoped that the authorities understand the Pandora’s box it has opened with this high-handed decision and its implications going forward. The rumblings have seemingly begun already. The inequity gap will widen, and our vulnerable students will continue to be marginalised despite the best efforts of their teachers.

The foregoing will hopefully place the “stipend” issue in its proper perspective, enlightening those who have been quick to condemn teachers. TTUTA will, as it has done in its entire history, relentlessly and resolutely pursue its mandate of social justice and equity, while its members toil in the thankless vocation of educating the nation’s children in less than ideal conditions, consistently going above and beyond the call of duty.