Teachers’ strike: Uncertainties ahead

The new academic year is expected to commence on Monday, September 3. Come that day, thousands of Guyana children will be attending school for the first time, going to a new school or to a new level. It is always a moment of pride, expectation and a bit of apprehension as a next stage along the path of enlightenment and personal development is undertaken.
There will be tremendous pride for those who were successful at the previous stage with the expectation of similar results as new challenges are confronted. However, apprehension always seems to lurk given the uncertainty that can prevail over what this new path can bring.
Given what is currently unfolding with regard to the current strike by teachers, uncertainty seems sure come Monday. For the multitude in the process of preparing for that historic first day within the public school system, there must be concerns especially for those rife with expectation on both sides; teachers and students.
For the young minds, more so those entering high school, Monday’s moment is another stepping stone and generally an eagerly anticipated one. It is not dissimilar for the teachers as they look forward to welcoming their new batch to mould over the next year. It is also a time when their own success can be seen at different levels as their previous batch take another step in the process of advancement. Unfortunately, the stage seems very much unprepared as Monday approaches.
There is no disputing the need for teachers to benefit from increased salaries as other public servants. With the focus currently on the teachers, their plight continues to be played out for all to see. Their clarion call for much needed increases has reached the stage of strike and protest action as negotiations remain unsuccessful. One of the uncertainties is how long this will obtain.
There is no doubt of the impact the strike will have, especially if it were to be prolonged. There is no argument over the important role teachers continue to play in the development of children and the nation by producing the necessary human resource skill. Teachers are also part of that critical human resource and like everyone else, have challenges including having to provide for their own children who attend school.
To provide what it takes is burdensome for many and the removal of the education grant compounds the situation, as do increase taxation and the continuous rise in cost of living. This makes current salaries woefully inadequate to mitigate the increasing demands. Come September, teachers and students who use public transportation will have to pay more for their commute as increase in minibus fares are expected as agreed with officials and operators.
This is not a charge they and the other users of public transportation can escape when implemented. As a matter of fact, this increase has already been enforced in some areas and deeming it illegal has no effect. This will further squeeze workers who are already drowning in financial challenges to meet even the basic of demands of supporting their families.
Everyone who has to outfit a child, or children for some, knows of the economic difficulties in doing so. The teachers are no exception and with additional transportation cost, their plight worsens. With that a given, there other uncertainties; whether their salaries will be withheld during the strike period, how long the protest will be sustained and support mechanism during the process.
These will be answered as time progresses but a fundamental question remains; how can success be achieved if the salaries remain inadequate? More than likely this will be vehemently articulated by the leadership of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) within the negotiating room whenever the sides find themselves back there. Therein lies the bottom line; for a nation to go forward, especially with the coming of oil, sustained academic success is vital.
The infamous and seemingly imposed brain-drain that plagued the country a few decades ago ensured a protracted denial of necessary skills for development. If current uncertainties, as alluded, coupled with the worsening economic situation were to continue, then it becomes extremely difficult to stop a renewed exodus of academic skills. That is why it becomes even more imperative for an immediate solution for the short and long-term solution to be found.
When workers are told that monies are not available for salary increases, it appears to be deceptive through the actions of the Administration. This seems evident by the 50 per cent hike in ministerial emoluments; Government’s increased dietary, travelling and security bills; costs for numerous Commissions of Inquiry and funding for projects like the imposing fence at the Ministry of the Presidency and D’Urban Park that appears to have little or no impact on national development.
These scenarios not only fester uncertainty, but can infuse a deep sense of irrelevance through growing despondency in those who are the builders of society but are made to feel otherwise. For the builders, there appears to be no uncertainty about that.