GTU responds to Education Ministry on 'Isolation'
Photo: Mark Lyte
With the surge in COVID 19 cases among teachers and students, the Guyana Teacher Union has called on the Education Ministry to suspend schools.
However, the Education Ministry turned a deaf ears to those calls and as such the Union called on all teachers to isolate themselves on Monday, January 10th.
A press release from the Education Ministry said from data gathered from 84 percent of schools showed that 74 percent of teachers showed up for work.
However President of the GTU Mark Lyte in an invited comment from News Update said data the union gathered reflected otherwise.
Lyte said a large percentage of teachers heeded the union call. He labelled the data from the Ministry as ‘deceptive.’’
"I think it’s absolutely very ridiculous it’s a very deceptive way of presenting the fact that the action had no impact but it did.. our data indicate approximately 60% of just about 60 something of teachers which includes members and nonmembers when I say member those who are financial are considered members so I’m talking about the entire 10,560 teachers that we have in the system about 60% of them stood in solidarity with the union."
Lyte said.
The union’s head further went on to accuse the Education Ministry of making false post on social media which suggest that schools were operating and had no impact.
"A typical example the school to which I am attached it was reported the school had a full complement of teachers now the staff have 42..we have 42 members of staff teaching staff only seven showed up so that means 35 did not showed up this is the kind of things we talking about of course the school was open but it didn’t had the teachers to carry out their mandate"
The union’s president said.
When asked if the union still stands on its decision of the suspension of face to face classes light said "absolutely". The Union’s head said teachers are "sick and tired".
In light of the surge of COVID 19 cases a number of school were forced to suspend classes after teachers and students tested positive for the virus.
Guyana has recorded over 1500 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of this year.
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