Replacement Teachers Must Be Qualified Under New S.I., Says Faber

Patrick Faber

And that statutory instrument which paves the way for the appointment of replacement teachers has also been the source of contention for the B.N.T.U.  It is felt that those teachers would be drawn from the one thousand three hundred who were removed from the classrooms this year because they had no pedagogical training and license. Minister Faber explains where that pool of teachers would come from in the event of extended strike action.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“It is the responsibility of the managing authorities to find these emergency substitute replacement teachers and I hesitate to talk about it just because I know there is mischief afoot to try to discredit the measures and try to make it look like we are trying to replace teachers permanently. That is not the intention.”

Reporter

“But certainly using teachers that are not qualified….”

Patrick Faber

“No, you see…and I am sure that you have heard me on this issue before. This is the problem with some of the media people, after you explain and explain and explain. I am sure Marisol that you were present when on, I think it was Wednesday or Thursday, I gave an extensive coverage of what the replacement teachers will be about. I went to great pains, and I am sure you were there, to say that we are encouraging managing authorities to hire fully licensed teachers who don’t have a job; teachers who hold a provisional license who don’t have a job; teachers who hold a special permit that was granted. That special permit may be as a second recourse after they were not given the special permit when they applied for it; retired teachers and parents who are of good repute in the school community. That was what we said.”