Industrial action by teachers affect schools’ opening day

Public schools across Antigua and Barbuda opened their doors for the start of the
third term of the academic year on Monday, but according to officials at the
Ministry of Education operations in most of the schools were affected by industrial
action spearheaded by the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (ABUT).
The officials said most of the country’s secondary schools closed early as many
teachers stayed away from the classrooms as part of the protest action and that all
the government’s secondary schools except Sir Novelle Richards Academy and
Glansville Secondary had to close early due to the industrial action.
Meanwhile, the ABUT is reporting that it met with the government negotiating
team to discuss the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and that ‘good progress
has been made’ in those discussions.
“The remaining issue is the upgrades for the outstanding teachers (estimated by the
ministry of education to be about 30) and the list has been sent to the ministry for
the teachers to begin receiving their difference in salaries,” General Secretary
Sharon Clifton-Kelsick stated.
She would not confirm the number of teachers whose upgrades are outstanding but
indicated that until these payments are made the industrial action will continue.
She reported that teachers have staged a ‘sit-in’ meaning that they report to work
but do go into the classrooms to teach.
Over the weekend, Education Minister Daryll Matthew revealed that the payments
for the 34 teachers who had monies owed to them as heads of department were
either paid or that their cheques were ready for collection at the ministry as of
Monday.
Other demands by the teachers such as the fencing of a number of schools,
including the SNRA had already started. That work is estimated to cost over
$300,000.00. Security cameras at the schools are also being installed and that all
secondary schools had lighting systems in place to assist with security at nights.