TTUTA: 80% of teachers at work on Ash Wednesday

THE TT Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) president Martin Lum Kin praised his members for their high turnout on Ash Wednesday after schools across the country – according to TTUTA's data – reported 80 per cent of teachers went to work.

He said 20 per cent of students were present for classes.

“This is the trend across the board. The data does reflect a trend and that has been happening over the years, pre-covid19, that is, and so I want to congratulate the teachers for coming out and taking their duties seriously such that they would have enjoyed the Carnival vacation, but they are back out, ready and willing to engage our students in the teaching-learning process.

But, he said, TTUTA continued "to be disappointed with the low turnout of students, and we want to implore and remind our parents that, especially coming out of the covid19 pandemic, we have a lot of learning gaps to fill, and having the students out for at least the Ash Wednesday, Carnival week would make a big impact in filling that gap."

He said parents should encourage a culture where going to school after major holidays and other cultural events is mandatory.

“If we do see a slight increase over the week, we want to encourage parents and advise them that isn’t only a matter of learning loss, it’s a matter of investing in our future leaders and workforces."

He said children should be shown how important it is to go out to school after Carnival and get them into that habit for when they enter the workforce, "so that productivity would not be affected."

Commending his members again, he said their turnout showed their dedication, "even though they would have had this period of festivity, but teachers are also realigning under the economic situation, and it could have been very easy, as a teacher, to take the day off or take the rest of the week off. But they are committed.

Lum Kin commended the teachers for remaining dedicated even with tension and litigation against the Government’s four per cent wage increase offer for the 2014-2019 collective bargaining period.

“TTUTA hopes the relevant authorities take note of this, and that teachers remain dedicated despite whatever is happening. This has always been the case, and I’m confident this attitude among teachers will continue.”

Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly could not be reached for comment.