The General Secretary for the Fiji Teachers Union, Agni Deo Singh says the Permanent Secretary for Education Dr Anjeela Jokhan must get the facts right and meet with the teacher unions and work in partnership to chart the way forward in addressing short and long term goals of the Ministry.
Singh made these comments after Dr Jokhan had earlier stated some unqualified teachers will be replaced by qualified teachers.
Singh claims that Dr Jokhan is referring to the 2018 Remuneration Guideline of the Ministry and says that this guideline was never discussed or shared with the teacher unions as the legitimate representatives of the teachers.
He adds that the Job Evaluation Exercise of 2017 classified unqualified teachers in Band D and they are mostly graduates without teacher training.
Singh further says their contracts are renewed annually.
Singh says primary school teachers who have certificate in training as well as those with diploma in education teaching in primary and secondary schools were placed on Band E as fully qualified teachers and are on full 5 year contracts.
He also says that Dr Jokhan approved the promotion and awarded 5 year contracts to some 600 primary heads of schools in January this year and around 400 of these teachers are certificate holders with more than 15 years of experience.
Singh adds now all of a sudden, Dr Jokhan has changed her mind about these teachers she promoted in the beginning of the year.
He says the union will not leave any stone unturned to defend its members who are fully qualified and have served with distinction for several years.
We have sent questions to Dr Jokhan and are awaiting her response.
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