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| Tim Gopeesingh "I work in a system where there are major weaknesses and I cannot do anything about it." (Guardian Photo) |
There are 1,700 vacancies for teachers in Trinidad & Tobago and Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh is blaming the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) for failing to recruit the necessary personnel.
He plans to take the TSC to court about the matter because he is powerless to do anything about it. Gopeesingh told local media he has already received two legal opinions on the issue.
He said they have advised that under the rights and responsibilities of the Education Minister, the ministry could determine the criteria and specifications under which anyone being interviewed for a job could be hired.
Gopeesingh was speaking on Tuesday at an education event at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre in Central Trinidad.
"The minister has no ability to move teachers from one district to another district, although they are overstaffed or some are understaffed," he explained.
"So where do we go? I have to wait on the Teaching Service Commission and they will take years to do that. So I work in a system where there are major weaknesses and I cannot do anything about it," he added.
Gopeesingh gave a breakdown of the extent of the problem.
"I intend to take them to the court. It is an independent institution and while I am Minister of Education I have my responsibility," he said.
He said he has even complained to the president, who hires and fires independent commissions such as the TSC.
“I wrote the letter to the President...because that is an independent, constitutionally enshrined institution, appointed by the President, and that will be left for his own decision. I have presented the facts to him,” he said.
“This is untenable and unacceptable because people look for a government to govern and perform. When the Government is stymied by these types of bureaucratic obstacles, solutions must be found,” he said.
He plans to take the TSC to court about the matter because he is powerless to do anything about it. Gopeesingh told local media he has already received two legal opinions on the issue.
He said they have advised that under the rights and responsibilities of the Education Minister, the ministry could determine the criteria and specifications under which anyone being interviewed for a job could be hired.
Gopeesingh was speaking on Tuesday at an education event at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre in Central Trinidad.
"The minister has no ability to move teachers from one district to another district, although they are overstaffed or some are understaffed," he explained.
"So where do we go? I have to wait on the Teaching Service Commission and they will take years to do that. So I work in a system where there are major weaknesses and I cannot do anything about it," he added.
Gopeesingh gave a breakdown of the extent of the problem.
- 1,000 heads of departments and posts for deans have been vacant since he took over the ministry
- The posts of 500 principals, vice principals and senior teachers are vacant
- There is a need for 100 curriculum teachers and nearly 100 guidance officers
"I intend to take them to the court. It is an independent institution and while I am Minister of Education I have my responsibility," he said.
He said he has even complained to the president, who hires and fires independent commissions such as the TSC.
“I wrote the letter to the President...because that is an independent, constitutionally enshrined institution, appointed by the President, and that will be left for his own decision. I have presented the facts to him,” he said.
“This is untenable and unacceptable because people look for a government to govern and perform. When the Government is stymied by these types of bureaucratic obstacles, solutions must be found,” he said.
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