More than two years after its last term expired, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) was yesterday reconstituted and outstanding appointments of senior personnel in schools is expected to be one of its top priorities.

Seven persons including Chief Education Officer Ed Caesar were sworn in by President Bharrat Jagdeo during a brief ceremony at the Office of the President yesterday.

"[The Commission] will definitely address the appointment of senior persons in the schools because several of them have been awaiting promotion for a long time and others have only been holding the fort," Caesar said.

According to the CEO, the non-promotion of senior teachers can affect their pensions and/or gratuity "and such a situation can result in serious problems."

Caesar told the media the TSC will also examine disciplinary matters and other issues of major concern to the members of the teaching profession which had previously been deferred.

"I am sure the nation is happy with the appointments...[and the TSC] will sit and diligently go through all matters of importance," Caesar declared.

Minister of Education, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, supported the CEO's statement regarding the urgency with which the issue of promotions is likely to be treated by the TSC.

"The TSC can now put in place new ideas and make the profession more performance- oriented...", Jeffrey remarked.

He noted this approach will see the TSC appointing or promoting senior teachers based on their level of achievement rather than solely their long service as has occurred in some instances.

It has been more than two years since the term of the last TSC expired.

The political impasse between the government and the PNCR prevented the parliamentary process necessary for the service commissions from proceeding. The Judicial Service Commission still has to be appointed. The Public Service Commission and the Police Service Commission have already been appointed.

The other members of the new TSC are Richard Gobin Mangal, Leila Ramson, Hubert Valentine Abraham, George Nathaniel Cave, Ethel Olga Britton and Mohamed K. Khan.