Stop their nonsense and give us our money

07.AUG.09

Editor: It is with much disappointment that I have decided to write this article on behalf of the teachers who are working extremely hard to make the adult education programme a success.{{more}}

Our dear prime minister in his efforts to eradicate poverty felt that it was imperative to do something about illiteracy in our country, thus this programme was born. Initially, it was said that teachers were not to be used because we were already working. However, failed efforts by persons who were trying without training to teach adults to read, showed that indeed we were needed for such a difficult task.

We willingly, after being cast aside, took on this task, it was not easy, but we laboured as indeed teaching is a first love. Many of our students have progressed so well that they have been able to sign up for CXC Maths, English and Spanish. Others have gained computer certificates and diplomas in various areas of arts and craft.

Now this brings me to the heart of the matter, we were promised that we would have been given some sort of payment for the work that we are doing, however it has been fifteen months now that we have not received a penny. When the adult education unit was contacted, we were told that 2008 fiscal year was over so we could not be paid for that year, but we would be paid for the five months this year that we worked. Can you believe that we did not put up a quarrel or fight, we thought that at least five months pay is better than none.

Yet, to our surprise, it has been drawn to our attention that certain high ranking officials in the Ministry of Education are refusing to send our names to the Treasury. Do you people have no shame? We understand that our dear prime minister has already released the money for us to be paid, yet these wicked people are deliberately withholding it with all kinds of cock and bull stories.

We have worked and we deserve to be paid. This is foolishness. Without us, this programme would not have been a reality. Many zones have closed their programmes because of this same problem. For God sake give us what is rightfully ours, you want us to work but you don’t want us to be paid? When we use our money to buy gas for our vehicles to get to classes; when we use our paper and ink from our computers to print material for our students, it’s from our salary that we take that money. Pay us so that the money that we have spent for nearly two years can be replaced. Mr. Prime Minister we are asking you please to tell the Ministry of Education to stop their nonsense and give us our money, they didn’t work for it, we did.

Teacher