As we reported last week, the BNTU’s court case against the Ministry of Education has ended. The teachers will get their full pay and in return, they will have to make up six school days lost in the 11 day strike. Teachers and students are expected to report for classes for 3 more days before going on the Easter Break, and 3 more before going on the summer break. When we spoke to Minister of Education Patrick Faber today, he told us what he thinks about the outcome. Faber says this wasn’t the initial proposal but it’s the decision they all will have to work with now.
Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"We had as you know proposed to include the 6 additional days, 3 at the start of the new calendar year in January and then again 3 days - sorry I think it was 4 in January and 2 in the Easter break. That would have allowed for the students who are taking PSE and also those are the CSEC level to get that additional instructional time. However you know the events played out and in fact it did not pan out in that manner and the only other option would have been for us to agree to tag on half hour on everyday which really and truly in our opinion does not make sense. I believe that we might be able to really do some saving of instruction time in the Easter break but you're right we don't have many much hope that at the end of the school year June or July or whenever it is that much will be accomplished in those time, we are only hoping that the teachers and the BNTU will encourage the teachers especially to make good productive use of it."
Faber commends those teachers who had already sacrificed some of their Christmas vacation to make up time in January, but, as it turns out, that was a waste of time, not make up time, because now they still have to do the official makeup time agreed on in court: 3 days before the Easter break and 3 before summer.
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