Ministry hopes to 'iron out' TSC issues soon

EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said her ministry has held "a number of meetings" with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and denominational boards concerning a recent issue on the recruitment process for primary school teachers.

Last week, the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) sent a pre-action protocol letter to the TSC and Gadsby-DOlly alleging an "unlawful and unconstitutional change" to the recruitment process for denominational primary schools.

The SDMS claimed this change excludes input from the denominational boards as mandated by the long-standing Concordat – a pre-Independence agreement signed between Government and heads of the various religious denominations.

This letter gained the support of many other denominational boards, but the TSC has since said the claims are not true and invited heads of the boards to a meeting last Thursday.

Asked about this by Newsday on Monday, Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry has met with boards, the TSC and also attended a joint meeting.

She said there is another meeting set for sometime this week but did not say when.

The purpose of the final meeting, she said, is "to iron out all the issues surrounding this process."

Reminding that teacher recruitment falls under the TSC's management, Gadsby-Dolly said her ministry is still an "involved partner."