CASTRIES, St. Lucia (CMC):
THE CARIBBEAN Union of Teachers (CUT) says teacher migration is having an adverse effect on the region's education system and has called for immediate action by regional governments to tackle the problem.
Vice-president of the CUT, Marvin Andall, said that teachers generally work under some of the most trying conditions - a factor pushing some of them to move overseas.
"We find ourselves having to work under some of the most difficult conditions, which far from getting better, have deteriorated in certain countries," he told a regional educational symposium Friday.
"One of the issues that some of our jurisdictions are confronted with is that of teacher migration, and one state that is most seriously affected is Guyana," he disclosed.
"These conditions are driving some of our best talent in the profession to greener pastures, and that as a region we cannot afford."
The CUT said one of the biggest problems for teachers employed in the region is that of salaries, which are relatively poor compared to those in other countries.
In addition, he said there were other issues such as poor health and safety standards and bad working conditions.
"The basic health and safety standards in some states are not good and it is depressing just to look at the state of some of the school buildings in some islands," he added.
