There is no gaping hole in the education system – Minister

Minister of Education, Curtis King has said “no” to claims that there is a gaping hole in the education system due to the number of teachers who are now out of the school system after failing to comply with COVID-19 measures.

King refuted the claim when he appeared as a guest last Sunday, August 28, on the Issue at Hand programme on WE FM.

Industrial Relations and Research Officer of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU), Andrew John called in to the programme and chided the minister for denying that a gaping hole exists in the education system.

“I deal with these teachers and I am privy to the qualifications and the role that they play,” John said as he questioned Minister King’s denial.

“Tell me how you could say that,” John further challenged the minister.

In response, King stated, “We have always had… teachers missing here and there, but when you say, or the president or whoever says that there is a gaping hole in the teaching or education system, I say no.”

He went on to admit, “yes we have challenges, but when you talk about a gaping hole, you are talking about a significant problem.”

The education minister further argued that to describe the situation as a gaping hole, suggests that “there is an overwhelming issue in the education system because of the absence of these teachers.”

While admitting that the situation is challenging, King said, “ because of the fact that we have gone out there, and [sought] to make sure that there are replacements when those teachers were not there, we cannot describe it as a gaping hole.”

He also expressed his desire to see all the teachers return to their substantive posts and maintained that “a gaping hole would have existed…if we didn’t make an effort to fill the vacancies”.

President of the SVGTU, Oswald Robinson also called in to the programme to support his executive member, Andrew John.

Robinson called for a repeal of the SR&O which came into effect last November mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for persons who were considered as frontline workers, which included teachers.

“You made the Law and you need to go back and repeal it,” Robinson argued.

In his contribution to the programme on Sunday, prime minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said over 90 per cent of teachers had taken a COVID vaccine.

He explained that the 212 teachers who did not take the vaccine were not all permanent teachers; some whom were relief teachers while others were on contract.

Throughout the discourse, King maintained his position that talk of a gaping hole suggests that “students are at school without teachers to teach them,”and that is not the case.