The Ministry of Education is saddled with the constitutional and moral mandate of ensuring that teaching and learning result in Guyana producing an educated people that recognizes the importance of human value, dignity and worth. A people adequately nurtured and enriched to function as a matured adult outside of the classroom, and a people that is able, willing and ready to work cooperatively to transform their native land.

The GTU, although stressing that the education of children isn't its responsibility, appears to be nearly eager as the Education Ministry to see the teachers' strike behind it.

The bottom line, we believe, is that both parties have our children's interests at heart. Let's give our students a chance, then.

We're happy to observe that both sides are prepared to move forward from the adamant position each adopted at the start of the negotiations and we contemplate agreement on the one provision - the time-specific dispatch of circulars on certain payments - that stand in the way of a mutually-satisfactory accord.

Everyone wants more money, and the more the better. It's the reason people work and, in many cases, qualify themselves. And it's the reason that some trade unions are so adamant.

Similarly, people who occupy positions of leadership pretty often allude to adherence to principles, regardless of circumstance, as a positive affirmation of one's recognition of the importance of core values and ethics and what experts define as "a mission of purpose."

Nothing epitomizes the difference between positive and negative thinking as much as those who hold opposing views on the same issue. And until last Friday, the state of the negotiations between GTU and the Ministry of Education had evoked a feeling of foreboding among Guyanese.

While no one dare deny that teachers, like every other career persons, expect and deserve more than they now earn, there is also no denying the fact that teachers are among the country's most fortunate class of public employees.

Their incomes have increased by more than 550 percent since 1992, even though the level or quality of education delivery cannot be said to have gone up by a similar percentage.

Besides, teachers work less hours than their public/private sector counterparts, receive highly-subsidized training while receiving salary grant, get time off, with full pay, to attend university, and now enjoy vacation allow equivalent to one month's salary.

Trade unions seldom consider the state of a country's economy when bargaining for higher incomes for its members, believing that higher pay should be seen as an investment that will ultimately bring untold positive returns.

Governments, on the other hand, contend that they have to look at the bigger picture.

Our concern is two-fold. One is for the parties to conclude their negotiations as quickly as possible. The other is for the GTU and the teachers - the would-be recipients of higher taxpayers' dollars - to see it their duty to professionalize teaching.