Teachers in Tobago continue to face long-standing issues, even as preparations for the Tobago Jamming festival go ahead. TTUTA Tobago officer Bradon Roberts is urging the Division of Education and the Ministry of Education to urgently address concerns related to leave classification, contract teachers, and bullying in schools. Elizabeth Williams reports.
00:00The list on this matter is that the documents that were sent to the ministry are now sent back in boxes to the division without an authorization letter.
00:08So we just have the files from one box in Trinidad to another box in Tobago.
00:13Tutor Tobago officer Braden Roberts says audits after audits have been conducted on issues affecting contract teachers in Tobago, yet little progress has been made.
00:25Fresh from a meeting with the administrator of the Division of Education in Scarborough, Roberts says complaints continue to pour in from teachers and students alike.
00:36So you bypass tutor this time and you go to the ministry and ministry is casually saying they are seeing some issues with the audit.
00:43So I believe we may be going to another audit again regarding the contract teachers.
00:47And I don't understand this hardworking secretary with so many additional duties, a former contract teacher having a hands off approach on this matter.
00:58I don't understand the chief secretary also having a hands off approach on this matter when they called on tutor in the past and expressed a disappointment in it not being addressed.
01:10He also says bullying continues to be reported at schools such as Mason Hall Secondary, affecting students' well-being and learning environments.
01:21I've heard the secretary spoken about programs for Mason Hall Secondary School. None has been materialized to date.
01:27If we do not give specific educational programs, because that is what SCA is supposed to be about.
01:33You section of the students based on their ability and you provide programs to meet their needs.
01:37It is not happening at Mason Hall Secondary School. The bullying in our schools, it's untenable.
01:43I see where we are chastising parents who are taking matters into their own hands.
01:47I don't endorse what they are doing.
01:49But how would you have a parent be frustrated for periods of time with a child being bullied and not expect a response?
01:57Roberts emphasized the need for immediate action, stressing that these issues require urgent attention despite other events happening on the island.
02:07I have witnessed two audits in my tenure and they were audits before I became the big officer and that's all we have been doing, doing audits.
02:17So I'll be issuing the secretary, I'll be writing the secretary today, asking for a meeting in November.
02:24I know that they are busy.
02:25You know why we have issued some persons jamming still?
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