Educators in public institutions in Portmore, St Catherine were adamant on Tuesday that they were running no jokes with Government and threatened to continue avoiding the classrooms until their salary packages are upgraded to “liveable standards”.

The teachers say they are not satisfied with the pay package they are receiving from Government. According to them, trained graduates of teachers’ college are the most disgruntled, with some of suggesting that a starting salary of $3.5 million per year be paid to teachers.

When the Jamaica Observer visited Waterford High School on Tuesday the school grounds were empty of students, while the staff room was packed with teachers who were participating in a sit-in, but who still sought to mark schoolwork and catch up on lesson plans. Their action was described as a sit-in because they went to work but refused to teach, forcing students to go home early. Many of the protesting teachers wore black.

Constance Curriah, principal of Waterford High, told the Observer that teachers were dissatisfied with their compensation packages from Government.

Dressed in black, a male teacher at Ascot Primary School in Greater Portmore, which is just beside the high school, told the Observer that what teachers are being paid does not allow them to comfortably purchase groceries. Despite their frustration, teachers at Ascot Primary went to classes and delivered lessons, but indicated that they may change that stance if there is no resolve to the wage situation.

“Basically, all schools are supposed to be in a militant mood and we are no different. If you notice we are dressed in black. We have to stand together in order for the Government to listen. With the package that they put on the table, we can’t go to supermarket with that and we can’t feed our families. It is going to leave us at all times to go to a credit union to borrow. Teachers are migrating not because they don’t love their country, but they have families to feed and nobody is listening to us. All we see is arrogance and bullyism. It is like they put a gun to our heads and say it is either that or we shoot you,” the teacher said.

Malcolm Nelson, vice-principal of Bridgeport High School, said on Tuesday that his teachers had been coming out for school but explained that their was uncertainty going forward.

Teachers, he said, were awaiting the decision at Wednesday’s meeting at The Mico University College to decide their next move. Delegates at the meeting voted to reject the wage offer.