Deputy Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT), Joy Adamson, met with the executive members of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) on Monday, September 11, 2023, to clarify the process for reassignment of temporary teachers to nursery, primary and special schools.
Mrs. Adamson reminded the union members that temporary teachers are assigned to fill a variety of openings, namely retirements, resignations, term’s leave, sick leave, no pay leave, maternity leave, and study leave.
At the end of their assignments evaluation reports are prepared by the Principal. Once openings are identified and there are no adverse reports, the temporary teachers are issued contracts, which detail their period of engagement. The contract states the start date and the end date of the assignment as shown below:
I am directed to inform you that the Chief Education Officer, by virtue of the Delegation of Functions, (Public and Police Services) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order; 1974, has approved your temporary appointment as graduate teacher, Ministry of Education for the period < Start date e.g. 14 April, 2023 > until further notice but not later than < End date e.g. 14 July 2023>
This year, the process of the reassignment of teachers was no different. The METVT reevaluated the staffing needs of each school and was in the process of assigning teachers.
There were some schools where the class roll was very low and it was therefore considered that the teacher to student ratio was low, negating the need for the high number of teachers assigned to the school. Those teachers have been reassigned to other schools. Consequently, those teachers whose tenure was short term could not be accommodated at this time. All these assignments would have ended at the end of the third term, July 14, 2023, or at the end of school year August 31, 2023.
There have been no interviews for new assignments of temporary teachers to nursery, primary and special schools for this academic year.
As at September 11, 2023, twenty-two (22) teachers, who had been assigned during the last academic year, remained to be assigned. This is due to the return of the substantive teachers who were on leave. The Deputy Chief Education Officer reminded the unions that as openings occur, these persons would be assigned.
The meeting was cordial with queries from both unions being addressed. The METVT promised that an update of the situation would be presented by the end of this week.
The METVT wishes to reiterate that temporary teachers have not been retrenched contrary to comments made in certain areas of the press. (PR/GIS)
