TTUTA Tobago officer: 'Rest and reflect' a success

TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Tobago officer Bradon Roberts reported a 20 per cent turnout of teachers in Tobago as a number of schools on the island stayed closed on Monday, the first day of the new school year.

TTUTA had called for teachers to stay home on Monday to "rest and reflect" on the State’s treatment of them.

TTUTA was offered a four per cent increase in salaries, but last Friday its general council rejected the offer in a letter to the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).

Speaking with Newsday on Monday, Roberts said from preliminary reports, the action was supported.

“I don’t know of any school that remained open for the day. The average turnout by teachers is 20 per cent, so an 80 per cent support was achieved.

“It was a great success: the national average is about 75 per cent support minimum.”