The indefinite strike, which began Tuesday, has resulted in a number of classrooms remaining empty.

At a press briefing yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Hydar Ally, said it was imperative that the ministry put in place measures to mitigate the loss of teaching time, especially in view of impending examinations.

He said Chief Education Officer, Mr. Ed Caesar has been asking heads of department to arrange for teaching to take place in those schools where there is a low turnout of teachers.

Work is under way to assess how many schools are affected in the various regions and to ascertain whether there could be clusters of schools that could be made operational, he said.

"Teachers can go to other schools and conduct classes so that children who turn out can benefit," Ally told media representatives at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD), Kingston, Georgetown.

He explained that the ministry is also looking at the possibility of employing part time teachers.

Ally said Assistant Chief Education Officer, Mr. Joseph Gilgeous had dispatched a memorandum instructing head teachers to do the following:
(1) Submit a plan of action to the Department of Education, on how they are going to deal with teachers, who are absent from their classes, in particular the CXC and GCE examination classes.

(2) Ensure that keys for the schools are lodged at the Department of Education if teachers are responding to the strike action and those not responding should ensure that entry points to the schools are opened during school hours.

(3) Make sure that where necessary, part time teachers are employed to make up for the loss of teaching time as a consequence of industrial action.

(4) Ensure that where possible, shift systems are put in place with schools that are unaffected by strike action. Teachers will be compensated appropriately.

(5) Work along with PTAs to engage the service of qualified parents/guardians to teach on a voluntary basis.

The Permanent Secretary noted that there are cases where teachers and students want to go into their classes, but are prevented from doing so because some head teachers have locked the schools and are in possession of the keys.

Ally said the Education Ministry has received information that security guards have been instructed by heads of several schools not to allow teachers and students to enter school compounds.

Such actions are not in keeping with the procedure and the ministry is taking a very serious view of the situation, he said.

Responding to claims by the GTU that teachers' salaries have not been addressed over a number of years, the Permanent Secretary pointed out that over the years the salaries of teachers have remained competitive.

He noted that it was unfair to say that the salaries of teachers have not been addressed during that time.

Ally said teachers' salaries were substantially increased in 1994 which put their salaries vis-à-vis that of other public servants in a relatively advantageous position.

He explained that a Cyril Potter College of Education-trained teacher receives $38,400 a month, while a graduate of the University of Guyana (UG) working in the Public Service receives $34,242.

A Temporary Qualified Master (TQM) with (3 A Levels) also receives $38,400, while a Clerk 11 in the Public Service receives $24,109.

An untrained graduate teacher is paid $53,072 while a trained graduate teacher is paid $59,325, he pointed out.

"It is important to note that teachers' salaries, especially at the trained and graduate levels, remain competitive despite substantial increases in the salaries of the public servants under the Armstrong Arbitration Tribunal, which gave public servants increases of 31 per cent as compared with 10 per cent for teachers," the Permanent Secretary pointed out in a press statement.

Ally said the positive differential in teachers' salaries was due largely to an increase of approximately 100 per cent for teachers in 1994 and subsequent increases which maintained that differential until this time.

Labour Minister, Dr. Dale Bisnauth on Tuesday appointed a three-member advisory committee to look into the dispute between the Education Ministry and the GTU which triggered the strike that has affected schools around the country.

A statement from Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Mohamed Akeel said the minister was concerned that the strike had escalated from two days a week to "an indefinite period" despite efforts by the Labour Ministry to resolve the matter.

"It is the view of the minister that a prolongation of the strike can adversely affect student performance at examinations and he has therefore in the national interest taken this decision (to establish the committee)", Akeel said.

The GTU industrial action began March 6 with the union calling on teachers to strike for two days per week.

It, however, announced Monday that the strike will be intensified from the next day.

The union said the intensification of the strike was prompted by, among other reasons, a non-response by the Ministry of Education to its letter indicating a willingness to end the strike provided terms of resumption can be agreed upon.

GTU wrote the Ministry of Education last week indicating its willingness to end the strike provided the terms of resumption can be mutually agreed upon.