– Ramotar reminds GTU Conference
President Donald Ramotar, in addressing teachers at the 3rd Biennial President
Conference of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) last evening, said that his government considers teachers as vital stakeholders in national development. The conference, which kicked off at the GTU Hall in New Amsterdam and which would last for the next four days is being held under the theme “Teachers of Guyana: Pillars of Unity and Gender Equality”.
Mr. Ramotar was present during the Opening Ceremony and addressed the teachers and delegates as well as other senior government officials and academics.
“The success of our investments in education depends in great measure on teachers and the quality of education they deliver. We are therefore interested in your opinions and concerns as much as you are in my administration’s plans for the education sector”.
He talked about his excitement in looking forward to the outcome of the conference “to learn about your plans for the future so that together, we can continue the partnership that has developed between the government and the union”.
The Guyanese leader noted that his government has enjoyed “good relations with the union and together we have achieved a great deal for teachers in Guyana”. He thanked the GTU for its dedicated and unstinted efforts in representing the interests of its members.
He congratulated GTU for adopting a model approach in partnering with the government to ensure a stable industrial relations climate within the education sector. “The union has also demonstrated maturity and understanding of the progress made for teachers to rapidly improve and sustain such improvement”.
The Head of State alluded to the Multi-Year Agreement between the Government and the union which has “led to important benefits for teachers”, and lauded such an agreement that caters for many years at a time since it allows for “greater predictability and stability in the system”. “The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Education and GTU specifies the benefits to be disbursed, thereby avoiding the problems of year-by-year negotiations”.
“Annual salary increases and allowances, new benefits for teachers including incentives for improved academic qualifications…there are provisions for non-salary benefits including duty- free concessions, scholarships for teachers attending the University of Guyana, Whitley Council Leave allowances..,” were lauded by the President.
Ramotar said that he was aware of some “concerns” with the Housing Revolving Fund, but expressed that he has asked the subject minister to “examine and resolve this issue fortrightly….I am confident that we can overcome whatever bottlenecks exist…I want to assure the GTU that my government is a friend of educators and we do not need agitation to prompt us to act”.
Ramotar stated that the government considers teachers as indispensable to the national development.
“Teachers are the preservers of knowledge…they nurture the minds of those who will eventually shape our nation’s future….without teachers, our people’s skills, creativity, industry and self- discipline will be malformed and our workers will not be able to realise their potential.”
He added that the nation would be “doomed to perpetual underdevelopment” without good teachers.
He ended by making a promise to the teachers of the nation and gave his “solemn word that as our economy grows, teachers would not be left behind”.
Other speakers at the opening of the sessions included UG Senior Lecturer, Dr. David Hinds and GTU President Colin Bynoe, while there were messages from the Guyana Trade Unions Congress (GTUC) and Leader of the Opposition, Mr. David Granger.
Three teachers received the Presidential Awards from Mr. Bynoe for their outstanding conduct as teachers. The awardees were Mark Lyte, Carmel Williams and Senior National Power Lifting Champion and National Sportswoman of Guyana as well as Two- time Caribbean & North American Weightlifting Champ, Watooka Nursery School teacher, Dawn Baker.
Over the next few days, the union and its delegates would be discussing several issues and concerns, arrive at solutions and ratify these solutions, after which they will announce how they will address those issues, thus sending a message to the politicians and policy-makers as well as stakeholders in the education sector. One of the issues at hand would be how the union can attract more males to join the teaching profession. More details about the conference in a subsequent issue.