'Taughtless' confrontations: Thwaites vs The JTA

Orville Taylor, Contributor

I am a teacher, and blessed to have taught for more than a quarter-century, the inherent pleasure is immeasurable. Just being in the privileged position of marginally influencing the life outcomes of the next generation is awesome.

Sitting before the television and grinning like a pre-senility retiree, there is often some now 'bigwig' who got my tutelage, and sometimes it is a "Lawd, him reach far, and him did so dunce", but more often, it is the "I feel so proud that she achieved her goal."

Nevertheless, in many ways, teaching is a thankless job. Work might begin at 7 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., but teachers have to prepare for their classes and write lesson plans. In high school, it is a bit easier than the primary, because they are specialist instructors, teaching a limited number of subjects, while at the lower levels the teachers have to be polyvalent.

Elementary-level educators cannot hide behind their core subject. Thus, they have to teach maths to the children for the GSAT and GFLT and they have to master foundations of English, along with the science, art and craft and other subjects that 'Miss' has to have answers for.

Primary schools are difficult places to work. Many of the children enter grade one without the requisite fundamentals, and despite primary education being free, lots of children are not properly materially prepared for a full day at school. Add to that the constant mothering (even by male teachers), parting of little disputes, and making sure that the hungry child is on the right PATH.

At a time when public-sector workers are under a wage freeze, it is hard to tell them to chill and keep cool. With the depreciation of the dollar and the failure of Government to meet its targets, under the MOUs, any attempt to make life more unbearable will meet rebellion.

More so, if Government is trying to take away from workers existing rights under the law or their contracts of employment, they have an obligation to rebel. When former Prime Minister Bruce Golding attempted to unilaterally deny them their contractually entitled seven per cent increase, I was unequivocal in my support for them.

According to the minister, Jamaica spends more out of its budget on education than virtually all other CARICOM nations. Yet, the outcomes in the basic competences at all levels, especially at the primary and secondary, lag woefully behind.

STRUGGLING WITH BASICS

Indeed, let's call a spade a trowel, and admit that too many of our graduates, including the teachers, who have sat in my classes, are weak in quantitative skills and horrific in language and communication. We all know these are serious times, and education, like other areas of society, needs a shake-up, if not redesign, because from day one the entire system was poorly conceived of and not channelled towards national development. Former president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Errol Miller, has lamented this since the 1970s. Furthermore, Government needs its pound of flesh, and the IMF wants its hundredweight.

In the aftermath of the announcement in Parliament, Thwaites had a small media briefing and we sat, listened and interrogated him, wondering whether it was old wrath that was being stirred up or a new dispute. My immediate question was about the sanctity of contracts, and that he might be violating the contracts of the workers. Assurances were given that nothing being contemplated would breach the teachers' contracts.

MUDDYING THE ISSUE

We might have only heard Ronnie's 'two-eights', but the whole story must be told, and fairness and honesty must prevail. As any manager would desire, he wants to have some flexibility in human-resources management. Key, therefore, is an association between performance and certain outcomes and consequences. Thwaites took issue with the fact that in the teaching profession, after the shortest period of probation in the public sector, teachers are appointed with indefinite tenure.

Nevertheless, I am amazed that there could be a dispute over this probation matter. So what if the minister is wrong in his calculation, or if his information is erroneous? Correct him! And being the man of the cloth that he is, he must bear the consequences for his misinformation and apologise for the error forthwith.

However, if it is a matter of interpretation, how would that create the basis for suspension of regular monthly meetings and open dialogue? In industrial relations, we keep doors open, unless we find that the other party is not negotiating 'in good faith'. Is this what they say the deacon is doing?

Then, there is the sore issue of transfer. Doubtless, there is an admission on both sides that there are anomalies in deployment of staff. Some schools are overstaffed while others, within the same region, are chronically undermanned. So, what would the JTA like the Government to do in such
circumstances?

A union's job is to monitor the affairs of its
members, but, without biting the hand that feeds, as mongrels with
two-eights of pit bull DNA. If the minister is proposing redeployment,
he couldn't be out of his mind or drinking too much wine, Pepsi or Coke
from the chalice he uses to offer Mass.

Cannot this be discussed
and negotiated to see how best the JTA and ministry can cooperate in
working towards the uplift of the children? (By the way, 'upliftment' is
not one of those English words hidden in full view in the dictionary,
and I have had too many occasions to correct my teachers for use of the
word).

Now for study and other types of leave. The
minister and the JTA know that leave is part of a teacher's contractual
entitlement. However, for it to be granted, the ministry must make
proper decisions, based on the relevance of the course of study to the
profession, and importantly, subject to "the exigencies of the
service".

Thwaites stated that leave constitutes 10
per cent of expenditure on salaries. If there is wanton abuse of this
right, it is not the fault of the teachers, but the dereliction of
duties of the 'competent' bureaucrats whose colleagues wanted to
initiate a sex-education programme which would have violated the Child
Care and Protection Act.

TIME TO
TIGHTEN

So, then, what is the issue that the JTA has
with the minister saying that he will be more judicious in the granting
of leave? All of us know that the education ministry has large orifices
that need lots of tightening up.

The last area of
dissonance also points to issues of improper management and poor
governance. Thwaites noted that 85 per cent of disciplinary cases were
lost because the correct process was not adhered to. Again, this has
nothing to do with the JTA; it has everything to do with the minister's
staff, including principals.

The one sticking point
seems to be the increments that normally accrue automatically but which
Thwaites is planning to make more merit-based. This appears to be a
change in the status quo, although it might not be a breach of contract.
Since it has to do with money and a little top-up on the already low
wages, can the JTA and minister return and continue discussing instead
of the dissing and cussing?

Enough said, because I
don't want to get in any trouble and have anyone eat my
supper.

Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in
sociology at the UWI and a radio talk-show host. Email feedback to
columns@gleanerjm.com and
tayloronblackline@hotmail.com