Who is popular today?

THE YEAR is coming to an end and our education system has been rocked by deaths of some of our colleagues through the covid19 virus and its ensuing variants. Teaching as we know it has seen tremendous transformation in order to facilitate the continuous education of the children of Trinidad and Tobago. There seems to be no end in sight for this pandemic and many people are now speaking about learning to live with the virus and adapting to the “new normal.” As a trade union the TT Unified Teachers’ Association must at all times look after the interest of its members and represent them to the best of its ability.
Additionally, TTUTA’s constitution also emphasises the need to promote the cause of education for the benefit of TT. There is sometimes a perceived dichotomy in trying to achieve both objectives. There is the perception that in order to promote the cause of education TTUTA needs to be in bed with the Ministry of Education and be willing to acquiesce to all its demands. Such beliefs are erroneous and the fact remains that there is no entity with the body of knowledge in TT that can be compared with TTUTA. With close to 11,000 members TTUTA is blessed with experts in all areas of education – from the early childhood care and education sector right up to the tertiary education sector.
As we seek to navigate the “new normal” it is clear that if we are to get the education policies and principles right there must be input from the recognised majority union that represents the voice of educators from all sectors. As has been the case through the years, many of the successes gained in education have been through the considerable input of TTUTA.
As we reflect on the last year and the period since the beginning of the pandemic it has become clear that there has been no meaningful or genuine attempt by those in authority to partner with TTUTA as has happened in the past. There can be no meaningful progress in education without genuine consultation with the union.
TTUTA, as an organisation with much talent and significant expertise within its membership, will not simply accept any type of unplanned proposals in the name of expediency. Our interest is in the comprehensive progress of our education system that would not only deal with the issues that currently face our nation but will chart a clear path for the generations to come.
TTUTA has as one of its sayings, “What is good for teachers is good for the education system” and now more than ever that is so true. The recent consultations on education reflect the belief that there is no need for the views of the practitioners in the education system, with one moderator stating clearly that whether we like it or not we are not going back to school as we know it.
While we are all for the progress of education it must be stated that those who pontificate about hybrid education are not directly involved in its day-to-day implementation and therefore have no clue as to if this “new normal” is effectively meeting the needs of the children.
One has only to look at the First World countries and see how keen they are to return to face-to-face classes and get a clear idea that the hybrid learning that we seem to be wanting to concretise in TT is not so welcomed in other more technologically advanced countries. Education must always be about the total development of our children and while the use of the computer and the modern technology will enhance the teaching and learning process, they cannot replace the many social and cultural lessons to be learnt from face-to-face schooling.
We are developing human beings who have to live in a society which should always strive to be caring and considerate for our neighbours and citizens that would be seeking to better the world not only for themselves but for all mankind.
The education reforms in light of the circumstances and weaknesses caused by the covid19 pandemic should not only focus on the digitisation and digitalisation of the education sector. The philosophical underpinnings of such reforms must be in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Development Strategy 2030.
Education reforms must also encompass policies and strategies that would build resilience in the education system, so that in the event of any other disaster in the future, our children would not be disenfranchised; rather, there would be a robust system that could allow quality education delivery to continue.
The post TTUTA’s role in education appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.