No pay for teachers in Guyana who participate in the ‘Isolation Day’ protest
Teachers, who participate in tomorrow’s Isolation Day organized by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), will not be compensated for their absence from either a physical or a virtual school.
The warning came from Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton on Sunday morning in response to a call from GTU President Mark Lyte as coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in schools are rising.
Last week, the Ministry of Education confirmed that one student at the Anna Regina Multilateral School tested positive for COVID-19 after rumours circulated that there was an outbreak among the school’s population of over 600 students.
“Teachers in Guyana ought to be properly advised that heeding the call of GTU to participate in the Isolation Day may be considered as an unauthorized absence from work, abandonment of their students, and a gross dereliction of duties,” Hamilton said in a broadcast.
The minister noted that GTU had not followed the law regarding industrial action, which includes seeking conciliation services from the Ministry of Labour.
Today, a report in the Demerara Waves publication said that Lyte wrote to the Ministry of Education and Chief Education Officer Dr Marcel Hutson asking for physical classes to cease for two weeks.
Lyte reportedly urged the ministry to use the two weeks to fix structural issues such as ventilation and sanitation at schools.
Despite the letter being sent, Hamilton noted that there had been no formal discussions between GTU and the ministry to discuss rising COVID-19 cases among students and teachers.
The minister called for good sense to prevail in the matter.
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