MEMBERS OF THE Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) will be meeting at 10 this morning at its Merryhill, Welches, St Michael headquarters to see how, and if, they will be a part of the planned 3 000 lay-offs of Government workers.
President Pedro Shepherd said they will also be seeking suggestions from members to put to the ministries of Education and the Civil Service as to how any lay-offs in the teaching service can be minimized.
Shepherd said he had submitted a proposal on a previous occasion on how teachers’ services could be utilized if it comes to a stage where some of them have to be displaced.
He is suggested that the teachers be put in a special group, where they could provide after school care for children who need supervision until their parents can collect them. Shepherd also envisaged this programme would minimize the need for people who live in rural areas to jostle for positions for their children in schools closer to Bridgetown.
The union boss believes the teachers in that special programme could be moved into the mainstream service when teachers retire or go on leave.
And with more than 1 000 teachers applying for appointments recently, Shepherd said he expected members to raise that issue as well. (YB)
