World Teachers’ Day is today. I want to praise those teachers who possess a commitment to excellence, display courage and demonstrate unfailing resilience. In my younger days, I taught in both primary and secondary schools. During these brief teaching stints, I was able to witness dedicated and caring teachers who spent extra time with slow learners. Yes, there are teachers who help poverty-stricken students, mentor those from abusive homes and counsel those who are being bullied.
There is the prevailing view that there is inequity when teachers’ salaries are compared to those of other professionals. Indeed, it is only within recent times, due to the bargaining skills and perseverance of the Trinidad & Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA), that teachers are better compensated according to their professional qualifications.
Undoubtedly, financial compensation has played a crucial role in attracting the best into the teaching profession and also motivating teachers. Indeed, low salaries have been a major factor in teachers pursuing a second job, leaving the profession or seeking remuneration by giving extra lessons.
The class divisions in our society are also reflected in the classrooms. The headline of an article in October 2009 in the Sunday Newsday was ‘Lessons and elitist education.’ The writer was Father Martin Sirju, who served as parish priest in San Fernando for more than fifteen years. He observed that many Common Entrance students were forced by their parents to have lessons after school. Sirju noted, “Gone are days of excellence in the classroom and free lessons after school.” He also observed that the places of learning had shifted to ‘Miss house,’ ‘Sir house’ or some rentable spot. I wonder if this has changed with SEA?
It is obvious that parents of the upper and middle classes can afford these lessons. Furthermore, these parents provide a suitable home environment with modern technology that helps their children to achieve and excel. It is a well-known fact that some schools, because of a lack of sufficient funding, encourage students to support fund-raising ventures. Of course, the wealthy will be able to easily pay for these activities, but students from the lower-income bracket are at a disadvantage. So, can we really boast of offering ‘free’ education?
It was distressing to read the headline of the Trinidad Guardian in September 2025, “State to compensate 7 teachers bypassed for promotion.” Millions of dollars were awarded to qualified teachers who were the victims of incompetent and vindictive persons. Such pathetic persons, guilty of such wrongdoing, should be immediately fired.
It is even more hurtful when teachers have to witness the blatant discrimination of students. For instance, in 1994, there was the case of an 11-year-old Muslim girl who was told that she could not wear the hijab at the Roman Catholic-operated and state-supported Holy Name Convent in Port-of-Spain.
Almost a decade later, in September 2004, young 12-year-old Kalifa Logan was denied entry to St Charles High School in Tunapuna because of her dreadlocks hairstyle. Is religious garb, the texture of our hair or hairstyles stumbling blocks in education that prevent equality and equity?
Additionally, there is still the perception of inequality in the location of primary and secondary schools. Many schools which are located in rural areas are sometimes dilapidated, lack modern facilities and are regarded as insignificant. As a result, these schools do not attract a certain calibre of students and teachers. Often, teachers are sent there on first appointments and administrators are merely passing through— awaiting transfers or promotions. It’s no surprise that this neglect results in an absence of outstanding results or scholarship winners.
Unfortunately, there has been a divide between denominational and government schools. This was reflected in the Great Debate of 1955 between Dr Eric Williams (a graduate of Queen’s Royal College and Oxford University) and Dom Basil Matthews, principal of St Benedict’s College in La Romaine. Williams strongly condemned denominational schools as being elitist and a breeding ground for disunity and strongly believed that state schools reflected the true spirit of nationalism. I wonder if this division still continues in 2026?
My wish on World Teachers’ Day is that teachers would be treated fairly by those in authority. Their frustration certainly affects the progress and development of our children. And, hopefully, future governments in the Caribbean would dedicate resources to train teachers to help students with mental health issues and learning disabilities. There are no schools catering for students with autism and Down syndrome.
It is obvious that problems in the primary school that are not properly addressed will manifest themselves at the secondary and tertiary levels. Teaching is still a noble profession and there is no room for laziness and regular absenteeism. We need to fix our education system and not occasionally patch up parts as we do with our potholes!
