Teachers’ Day Plans Still Being Reviewed

Patrick Faber

Notwithstanding the bad news, Faber says that other avenues are being explored in order to make good on his promise.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“Given that news that we received this week, we officially received it in writing I believe yesterday, we now have to sit down and decide whether or not we are able to find the funds along with the few partners who help us to put off Teachers Day as we had once conceived it at the Civic Center, but we will make that announcement shortly.”

Isani Cayetano

“My understanding is that the managements have also said that they too will not be able to make any financial contributions this year as well.”

Patrick Faber

“Well, the managements are in a different position, I believe.  I don’t know for certain that that has been their position, but the managements have not traditionally made contributions and have taken from the teachers in such a way.  My understanding is, what contributions the teachers give to the churches is done by way of them giving their tithes and so on, but I’m not certain that that is for teacher development and teacher events which is clearly the objective of the union, to celebrate the teachers, to provide for their professional development which we intended to do on a National Teachers Day like that.  It wouldn’t be all celebration and play, it is also an opportunity to learn.  You would have professional development booths, for instance, at a day like that.  So I have to say that I didn’t expect any kind of contribution from the management in that regard but I certainly can expect and did expect it from the union.  It would have been fine if they said, we can’t meet what you’re asking for, the one-third, because that depends on how much of a grandeur planning we had done and in fact, they are a part of the planning, they are part of the committee that says what will happen or will not happen.  So that is really disturbing to me and I think it is geared at trying to, again, put the government in a predicament.  But again, we will contemplate whether or not we can proceed given what we have budgeted for Teachers Day and I want people to know that if for some reason it doesn’t happen, that the government stood ready to put this event off and to celebrate our teachers because we believe they are very important to the development and the continued progress of the education system and of course our wider Belize.”