BSTU SURPRISED

THE Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) is shocked at Government’s move to establish a Teaching Service Commission, and is wondering if its arrival may have something to do with the upcoming elections.

In fact, speaking at BSTU’s Teachers’ Professional Day celebration, held at Solidarity House yesterday, BSTU President Mary Redman questioned whether the sudden haste to establish the Teaching Commission without proper dialogue, consultation or input from the unions is linked to impending elections.

“But certainly, if that is how easily they think that teachers can be bought…But then again, it underscores what I say constantly about the way in which they view us and the extent to which they value what we do on a daily basis,” she said.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart publicly announced that the Teaching Service Commission was set to be established on October 16, 2017.

Redman said while Amendments to the Barbados Constitution in 1974 allowed for the establishment of the Commission, a now defunct teachers union advocated for such a commission since 1965.

She recalled, however, in 2007 when work was being done on the Public Service Act, the provision for the establishment of the Commission had been removed from the Barbados Constitution and the argument given was that it was never proclaimed.

“Technically we have heard nothing in relation to it being placed back on the Constitution. So besides the sporadic references to the establishment of the Teaching Service Commission, and the brief informal and infrequent discussions we have had with the Ministry of Education from time to time, we really know nothing about the establishment of this Commission,” she said.

Redman questioned what laws are now in place for the establishment of the Commission. She wants to know what structure the Commission will have, noting that BSTU has made clear how it envisaged a Commission of that type, and was aware that changes to the Constitution would be needed “because we wanted it to have the authority for appointments and disciplining as well”.

“We are hearing now that this proposed Commission will not have responsibility for either of those two things, which as far as we are concerned, mean that it will operate like other commissions here now.

We know it will not expedite matters that affect us as teachers in the system.

“And given the experience of the other commissions that we know are operating, [there are] potential problems. It will mean that all of or matters still have to go to the Public Service Commission, and get held up there just as they are held up there now,” she said.

Redman said the Union has always outlined that the Teaching Service Commission must have someone with the equivalent status of the Chief Personnel Officer to deal with grievances.

“We have always stated that we have a large enough number of persons involved in work that is too vital to the development and sustainability of our society, not to take our special needs and considerations into account.

“The complexity of the teaching service and the need to have leadership expertise, vision and sensitivity, for such an important area of the public service and the wider society cannot be met with a hurried establishment of a Teaching Service Commission.

“As it stands, this Commission will not help us in any way as we understand it to be structured, and all it will do is to cause the Government more expense,” Redman declared. (AH)