So the teachers will strike on Monday, and at this point, no one really knows what will happen because as you heard the Ministry of Education has been working on an emergency plan to keep schools open. One of those measures is to bring in substitute teachers. The BNTU members expressed how they felt about these tactics from Government.
Kesha Young Flowers, Executive Secretary - BNTU
"What I will attempt to do is to highlight the intimidation and the attacks that have come fast and furious at the BNTU since Sunday when the prime minister made a public statement to the nation of Belize. A statement that was almost 10 minutes long, and you have seen that statement go countrywide during prime time constantly attacking the BNTU. We have to question, where is the money coming from that this government has invested in vilifying the BNTU? We have also seen on the news items in this week and we have heard from people on the ground that ministers of government have been visiting schools, making calls, reaching out to teachers trying to intimidate them and to stop them from striking on Monday. We have to ask again, why is it that all 31 ministers, caretakers are representatives of this government have been called out and asked to undertake such actions against the teachers of the BNTU. We have also seen letters that have come from managements going directly to teachers and principals indicating that they would initiate action against the teachers if they participate in Monday's industrial action."
Kathleen Flowers, Belize City Branch Rep.
"Among these tactics is one that is called a statuary instrument. While it is an emergency permit that there's a basis to make sure that we don't have to worry about where the pool of teachers are going to come from. We are very concerned if we are going to be talking about using that pool of teachers that the very BNTU have sat down and worked a process with the ministry of education to have exit the classroom when they were declared unfit because they did not have pedagogical skills. If you are one of the persons who had been exited from the classroom because you did not have the qualification, don't fall prey to that SI that will invite you to seek employment because that SI has laid out the legal parameters. Don't fall prey to it, if you are not fit in September, you cannot be fit in October. So let's stay on course and let's make sure that we do justice by this stand that we have decided to take for our nation."
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