By Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter
Teachers from St. George's College protest in front of the Ministry of Education building at National Heroes Circle, Kingston, yesterday. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer
NORMAL CLASSES resumed at St. George's College in Kingston a little later than at other schools yesterday as approximately 50 teachers from the school continued their protests against Government's latest salary offer of six per cent increase over a two-year period.
Armed with placards, the teachers marched from the school on North Street to the Ministry of Education on National Heroes Circle chanting their rejection of Government's offer.
"We are not stopping until they make a good offer," said one teacher as passing motorists honked their horns in support.
"I am a teacher for 32 years. I have a Master's in Education and all I got after I upgraded myself was a $1,000 (per month) increase in 1997. They (the Gov't) are anti-academic," said Icolyn Green, one of the teachers at the St. George's College. "They do not want quality experienced teachers in the classroom!" she added.
The protesters who were also in defiance of an agreement made by the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) that the protests should end yesterday explained that their protest was now beyond the JTA.
Principal at the school, Lloyd Fearon, said he was not aware of protest plans and only discovered that "most" of the teachers were missing from their classes at 8:30 a.m.
Prefects, parents, along with the administrative staff, had to supervise classes until about 10:30 when the teachers ended their protest on the streets.
"I contacted the Ministry of Education and the JTA and was informed that it is not a JTA-sanctioned protest and that the association was urging the teachers to return to their classes," explained the St. George's principal.
On hearing about the protest by the teachers at the school, several parents decided to take home their sons despite the assurance from principal Fearon that teachers were back in classes.
One father declared: "I don't care what he says, I am taking home my son because it is clear that the children are not being supervised."
Some parents decided to leave their children in school, however, as the protest subsided.
Mr. Fearon said he had been advised by the Ministry of Education to keep a log of the teachers who did not report to their assigned classes yesterday morning. He said a meeting was also held to inform them of the consequences of their protest action.
"I met with the teachers and outlined to them the consequences of action that may be taken if they didn't go to their assigned classes. They may find themselves facing legal action, such as losing the day's pay or they can be seen as having abandoned their jobs," said Fearon. Despite the warning, however, teachers say they will not back down until the offer has been improved.
Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson has maintained that at present there is no possibility of an improved offer to the teachers.
The teachers are demanding that their salaries be raised by 30 per cent in year one, and a further 30 per cent in year two of the 2002-2004 contract period.
