Teachers against extended school day

The Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) says it will oppose plans by the government to extend the hours of school from the start of the new academic term on September 7, according to a report on www.cananews.net.



The GUT said the government is pressing ahead with its plans without adequate consultation and wants the Tillman Thomas administration to host a special town hall meeting to discuss the matter.



\"As it stands now the way it is being done we are opposed. From what we have seen so far much is wanted in terms of actual consultation. There are teachers today who have not been able to sit on a face to face with the minister and give input,\" said GUT president Kenny James.



\"When you go to the town hall meetings it is for everybody. We want the teacher\'s town hall where teachers can come and sit with the minister and dialogue\".



The GUT says it is in favour of curriculum reform but believes the changes can be made without extending the school hours.



In recent months, technical experts in the Ministry of Education have been developing a new timetable for the new academic term and Education Minister Franca Bernadine said the authorities are seeking feedback from various stakeholders.



\"It is a curriculum reform that is taking place, and if it\'s necessary to extend further then we have to extend further. The consultation process has certainly been there and the final version of the timetable has not come out,\" Bernadine said.



\"We are still at the stage of sharing it with the stakeholders. The curriculum unit introduced it to the principals and they try to get some feedback from their teachers\".



The extension of school hours has also been mooted in Antigua and Barbuda, where consultations are being held on the proposal put forward by Education Minister Jacqui Quinn-Leandro.