New Teaching Service Commission members appointed

After an absence of almost two years, the Government today appointed new members to the Teaching Service Commission.

Five of the seven new members took the oath of office today before President Irfaan Ali. The other two members are to be sworn in at a later date. The Chief Education Officer, who was also sworn in, is an automatic member of the Commission.

The Opposition was not invited to nominate anyone to serve on the Commission.

Those who took the oath of office today were Maydha Persaud, Doodmattie Singh, Joan Ann Davis-Monkhouse, Shafiran Bhajan and Chief Education Officer, Mohammed Hussain.

In remarks, President Irfaan Ali noted the importance of the Teaching Service Commission being reconstituted. He spoke of the power of Commission to appoint and promote teachers, noting that such should be done in a fair manner.

“Giving the defining role which teachers are expected to play in the society, it is necessary that great care and attention be taken in making appointments to the teaching profession”, President Ali lamented.

According to the President, placing unqualified and ill-suited persons in a position to educate children, could be disastrous to the future of those children.

“If our children are to benefit from a high quality education, then such appointments and promotions must be based on merit and devoid of favouritism, cronyism and nepotism. It is equally essential that disciplinary actions against teachers be judicious, fair and with due process”, he said.

The President also told the new members of the Commission that they should not take their appointment lightly and understand the important role they will now play in overlooking the teaching profession. He added that he hopes they will all stay true to the oath that they took.

Once the two other members of the Commission take the oath of office, the Commission will meet to decide on a Chairperson and begin its work.

The Guyana Teachers Union has been pushing for the Commission to be put in place to allow for the appointment and promotion of teachers. The union’s President was present at today’s ceremony.