Teachers Encourage to Wear Green t-shirts in Response to MOE’s Proposed Amendments to Education Rules

The militant Belize National Teachers Union is starting the New Year with a bang calling on its membership to wear their ‘Teechaz Gat Yu Bak” t-shirts on Monday when classes resume to show their disapproval to the ministry’s proposal to amend the Education Rules.  According to B.N.T.U. National President, Senator Elena Smith, the Ministry of Education’s proposed amendment covers all vacations periods, giving the Chief Education Officer, the sole power to determine those periods as well as the school calendar.

Elena Smith

Senator Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“As you are aware the Ministry has done some proposed amendments to the education rules. One to vacation period. One to contracts and one to emergency vacancies and our members are not satisfied with the vacation period because as you are aware the change was made to the Christmas break, however, the amendment will be covering all the vacation periods and will be giving the chief as the sole person to determine the vacation periods and the school calendars. So our members are not happy with that and they have not accepted that. We have not gotten the final document to see what it says but that is the position. Because of that and because our members are not in support we are asking them to support us as we move forward with t his matter by wearing their green shirts on Monday. So it is our first start of our action for the year 2020. As we proceed with other matters we may have to take further actions as they become necessary.”