Dear Editor,

To the staff of the Ministry of Education, including Minister Fayval Williams, please stop blaming teachers for your incompetence; that record is getting old and played out,

Frankly speaking, you are demoralising teachers.

I refer to a letter from the Ministry dated October 20, 2021, which apparently blames recently employed teachers and existing teachers with new contracts and, by extension, principals for those teachers not being paid.

Since September, several newly employed teachers and teachers, who have new contracts, have not been paid.

Let me explain the process of how new teachers get into the system. All new teachers must complete a 503 Form; this asks for new teachers’ personal information. The teachers also must complete a client form with their banking details. Copies of their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) number, tax registration number (TRN), a letter of assumption (which states that this person has taken up this position at this school beginning at this time), and medical report, among other information are submitted to the ministry — usually no later than September 1 every school year.

I know as an absolute fact that my school had submitted all those information in September 2021, yet our new teachers have not been paid. So, to see a letter coming from the ministry claiming that teachers’ salaries are being held up because these documents are outstanding is nothing short of a blatant lie and victim blaming.

It is demoralising to the teachers; many of whom are entering the workforce for the very first time.

Please fix your system and stop blaming us!

Beatrice Gordon

Spanish Town

St Catherine

beatricegordon83@gmail.com

@teacherbeadon