TTUTA tells teachers: Don't report for work if your assigned school is closed

THE TT Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) is reminding its members that they are not to report to work if their assigned school is closed.

President Martin Lum Kin advised teachers that they should report to work at the school to which they were assigned by the Teaching Service Commission.

In a membership advisory on August 28 he said, "If your assigned school is closed, you are not to report for work.

"Any instruction to report to another location by any entity other than the Teaching Service Commission should be ignored."

Lum Kin told teachers if there are attempts by agents of the employer to intimidate them, they should report it immediately to the association.

The advisory said, "TTUTA remains vigilant and committed to defending our members against unfair and coercive treatment."

Schools reopen after the July/August vacation on September 2.

On August 27 teachers protested outside the Education Ministry on St Vincent Street, Port of Spain, to highlight the difficulty they are having in getting medical insurance refunds, now valued at over $34 million.

The demonstration, Lum Kin told Newsday, lasted 45 minutes.

This was the third action by the union. Previously it held had a candlelight vigil in front of the Finance Ministry on August 12, and delivered a letter and picketed the office of the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) on August 15.

Lum Kin said claims were now backed up to July 2023, and fulfilling the claims would cost more than $34 million, as the amount increases as time passes.

“There has not been any improvement in the time frame for which the claims were made. There was a meeting which was called after the demonstration outside the Personnel Department, but no significant information was conveyed at that meeting. We gather that it would have brought attention to the issues at hand both at the top and local levels, so we continue to agitate.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education in an invitation to the media said it would hold three commissioning ceremonies at three schools on August 30.

It said Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian would be in attendance.

On August 28, the ministry said the minister would commission the newly-constructed Sister’s Road Anglican Primary School in New Grant, Princes Town .

She will also commission the Holy Cross Anglican Primary School on Southern Main Road, Marabella, and the refurbished St George’s College in Barataria.

In October 2022, students and teachers of St George’s College were relocated to UTT Valsayn after the ceiling fell in the hallway at the front of the staff room following heavy rains.

The statement said the reopening ceremonies will begin at 11 am at Sister’s Road Anglican Primary School, and the tour will end at 4 pm at St George’s College.