Member of Parliament for Couva South, Rudy Indarsingh says he is joining with the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) in condemning the recent advertisement published by the Ministry of Education which seeks to fill TTUTA’s for assistant instructors in technical vocational positions.
This follows a similar advertisement in which vacancies for assistant teachers were advertised for the Substitute Teacher Programme.
MP Indarsingh says in both instances, TTUTA has reported that such vacancies can be filled by existing teachers who are qualified and waiting for placement within the teaching service.
In a media release, the MP stated that TTUTA’s concern is that the Ministry, and by extension the Government, are seeking to fill vacancies on contract at lower salaries which cannot be ignored.
Mr Indarsingh questioned why the Government would seek to fill such vacancies on a contractual basis, when there is a pool of teachers who are eligible for permanent employment in these posts. Further to this he asked if it is true that the salaries offered for these positions are lower than what is currently being offered to personnel in such positions, what is the rationale.
The MP said he is calling on the Minister of Education to tell the country how many vacant positions currently exist within the teaching service. He also said the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education must exercise leadership on this issue, and expeditiously engage the Teaching Service Commission to deal with filling all vacancies with preference being given to qualified teachers.
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