Officials Say Student’s Safety Not Guaranteed During Teachers’ Strike

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Ministry of Education says it cannot guarantee the safety of students when teachers go on strike on Monday and Tuesday to protest against the non-payment of retroactive salaries.

At a press conference on Saturday, Education Minister Andrew Holness issued the warning, stating that the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) had not given the Ministry enough notice about the impending strike.

“With the notice we have received, the ministry would not have enough time to have this organised and will not be able to guarantee the safety and security of the students who turn up to school,” Holness said.

While describing the decision made by the JTA as unfortunate, the Education Minister also warned that the strike must not disrupt the sitting of Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examinations scheduled for those days.

“The Ministry is not expecting, and would look unfavourably on any attempt to prevent access to any school, examination centre, laboratory or any examination material which may be in their (teachers’) custody,” he said.

More than ten Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency (CAPE) examinations, including Visual Arts, Music, Sociology, French, and Caribbean Studies are scheduled for the first two days of the school week when the teachers plan to stay off the job.

The Education Minister said while many teachers may not want to turn up for work, those scheduled to work as examination invigilators – for which they are compensated separately are expected to fulfil their obligations.

Additionally, he said all administration, clerical and ancillary workers are expected to report to work over the two days, as officers from the Ministry’s regional offices will be visiting the schools to ensure that duties were being performed.

Frustrated with what they see as the government’s reluctance to pay then the full amount of retroactive salaries, governmentpaid teachers have decided to stay away from the classrooms.

According to the Education Ministry, the government has done all it can, but teachers have to do what they have to in their best interest.

On Friday, JTA President Michael Stewart announced that public school teachers had voted to reject the government’s latest offer to settle the impasse over the non payment of retroactive wages.

He asserted that the teachers will only be appeased if the government honours at least half of the outstanding sums. The JTA has received getting support from the Union of Schools, Agricultural and Allied Workers.

However, the union, which represents non-teaching staff at schools, has instructed its members not to pass the picket line if the teachers form one.

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