00:00Well, there are several issues facing teachers listed in the Tobago space.
00:04Well, I want to start with the first and the most prominent one that is disturbing our teachers
00:08because I'm receiving continuous calls about it, and that is outstanding arrays.
00:14I'm certain that you would have heard, just like the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago,
00:20that $74 million was allocated for the payment of outstanding arrays to persons of the teaching service.
00:27To date, we have not had any confirmation as to when this money is going to be paid.
00:33Mr. Rodriguez is calling for greater transparency on the delays affecting the payment of teachers' outstanding arrays.
00:41He wants the reasons for the delays to be made public
00:44and has issued a warning to the Division of Education to address the matter.
00:49I'm calling upon you. By tomorrow, the teachers want to know exactly when is this incremental,
00:55is this outstanding salary arrays going to be paid?
00:58He said the shortage of teachers must be urgently addressed,
01:02along with the lack of furniture at some schools across Tobago.
01:06He also stressed that repairs to several school facilities remain a critical priority ahead of the new academic term.
01:14At Mount St. George Methodist, I was present at this school.
01:17From time to time, there's a stench that comes into the school.
01:23Imagine you have a teacher and a student, and then the students say,
01:26Let's do this because I'm covering the nose because this stench is coming.
01:29The intention is when they did their preliminary investigation that the sewer system needs to be resealed.
01:36Apparently, there are some leaks or some cracks.
01:38So, the sewer system needs to be emptied and be resealed.
01:40And we are trusting that that is going to be done at the school repair program.
01:44As I mentioned, St. Patrick's and the Cane Primary School, they have a termite issue,
01:49and the termite issue has affected the roof.
01:52He said teachers have been using their personal equipment to assist where shortages exist.
01:58This is what is happening now in the education system, is this, this.
02:02Teachers below here and the propping of the education system.
02:06Anytime teachers move their hand, everything is going to fall.
02:09Everything is going to fall.
02:10Because teachers are taking their printers from home, coming to school, and printing things to students.
02:16Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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