Photo: BNTU Acting National President Jorge Mejia speaks with the media after December 1st meeting with Ministry of Education officials and government primary schools management
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Dec. 7, 2023
The Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) has set its eyes on Catholic management of local schools as it steps up its agitation over five concerns that it publicized when it made known its opposition to a now-rescinded proposed increase in telephone allowances to Government CEOs last month. The first two issues have to do with salaries AND allowances which the union says have not been paid to some teachers since the start of the new school year. The other three issues are the failure by the government so far to restore increments for all teachers, outstanding income tax returns for some teachers, and an additional 30 minutes of work which the Union says is being forcibly required of teachers by some managements and their administration.
On November 28, the BNTU summoned the Minister of Education, his management team and school managements to a meeting on December 1; but as it relates to school managements, only those for government schools showed up. Conspicuously absent were the managing authorities for Catholic schools, with whom we are told the Union has the most issues.
After the December 1st meeting attended by top Ministry of Education officials, including Minister Francis Fonseca, the Union’s Council of Management informed its membership of the outcome of the meeting during membership meetings held on Monday, December 4. We had been told by the Acting President of the BNTU, Jorge Mejia, that tentative agreements were reached and some timelines set. Minister Fonseca reported that, regarding several of the concerns outlined by the Union, in many cases, it was the school managements that have failed in providing required information to the Ministry. Preliminary information from sources was that three out of ten branches of the Union voted to strike after the Christmas break, and that there was great discontent in a fourth. Now that all the numbers have been tallied, there is no official word from the Union on how the overall vote went. Amandala has learned independently that the top four actions supported by the membership were: to strike, demonstrate, stage a sickout or continue the dialogue.
The BNTU did copy to the media a memorandum sent to all school managements on December 6th in which the managements are being invited to a roundtable discussion set for the morning of Friday, December 8. The memorandum highlights the absence of various denominational managements at the first meeting on December 1 and reiterates the need for all school managements to attend to discuss the issues of concern so they can be adequately addressed.
The Union’s memo concludes with the following statement, “Be advised that our teachers are at their wits’ end in getting these matters addressed and therefore, it would be in the best interest of all concerned to be in attendance and to participate fully in this endeavour. Our objective is to walk away with a clear understanding of the issues, from all sides, as well as to create a workable and amenable timeline in addressing each area of concern. We also want to establish a firm commitment between all parties for a stronger working relationship that will ensure that these issues do not reoccur in the future.”
In a now leaked memo to its members titled “Urgent Action Needed to Address Disregard and Disrespect by Managements”, the BNTU Council of Management acknowledges the demands made by its membership in their vote at the branch-level membership meetings, and affirms “we are here to carry them forward.” As it relates to the Ministry of Education, the Council of Management stated, “The Ministry of Education has committed to complete Increment approvals by December 31, 2023. They also agreed to facilitate discussions with Managing Authorities. In good faith, we will give them the time needed to carry out those commitments.”
In regard to managing authorities, the Council indicated that despite repeated efforts to engage with the Catholic management and other managing authorities, “we have been met with nothing but disrespect and a blatant disregard for our concerns.” In light of this, and recognizing that the members’ patience is wearing thin over increments it says are eight months late without “a clear explanation or a timeline for resolution,” as well as late allowances and the fact that 100 teachers have not received their salaries since September, the Council of Management proceeded to outline a plan of action. This consists of the continued wearing of green as a symbol of solidarity and unwavering determination. They also have indicated that if managing authorities fail to show up to the meeting on December 8, there will be a full boycott of all their activities. Ahead of the meeting on Friday, the Union scheduled an emergency virtual membership meeting for today, December 7. The Union emphatically declared, “We have been patient, but this has been going on for too long.”
While not a direct response to the BNTU, the General Manager of Catholic Public Schools, Celia Usher, on December 6 wrote a letter of clarification to Assistant Local Managers of Catholic Public Schools and copied it to the President of the National Catholic Primary Schools Principals Association. In the letter, Usher acknowledges the “public comments made by some parties alluding to our Management’s major role in causing this concern, specifically regarding increments and allowances for our teachers.” She commented in response, “Knowing what we do, who we are, and how we diligently serve our children and teachers, remains rooted in the highest level of commitment and our best efforts. Our only agenda is to serve.” She then stated, “We all know that the process for increments and allowances is as follows: Teacher/Principal – Local Management – General Management (CPS HQ) – MOE (Teaching Service Commission Secretariat (TSCS) – General Management – Ministry of Finance (MOF) – Treasury Department.” Usher then provided samples of timelines “which may give clarity and transparency to delays in allowances and increments for our teachers.” She also noted that the procedures take time, and that all the entities which handle applications experience challenges. She then affirmed that the Catholic Management “fulfils its obligations and commitment to its teachers, working as quickly as possible even around the factors within the system that are out of our control, stretching and adjusting to un-forewarned changes in overall procedures, and cooperating with all entities handling the aforementioned documents.”
In the case of increments, Usher said that CPS Headquarters received 1,141 increment forms between June and November 2023. So far, she said only 308 have been approved and returned to CPS HQ in October and November of 2023 for further processing. A table included in the correspondence shows that 31 increment forms sent to the Teaching Service Commission on July 28 have not been returned to them. That’s also the case with another 59 forms sent in August, 18 sent in September, another 8 in October and 20 in November.
As it relates to allowances, Usher reported that, as regards commuting allowances, except for very few applications for which they await renewed Social Security cards or documents for name change from teachers, CPS HQ has done its part in facilitating the process. Another allowance that was addressed is rural allowances, and Usher shared that the last set of 29 rural allowances processed and sent to the Commission on July 28, 2023, was returned to CPS on September 20, 2023, and those were then sent to the Ministry of Finance on November 18, 2023. Usher said that based on their records, all responsibility allowances received have been fully processed on their part.
PM falls out of favour with BNTU over teacher comment
When the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) first publicized its 5-point list of concerns last month, an internal memorandum from the Union’s Council of Management to its members was leaked. In it, the Council stated about the then leaked decision to grant a telephone allowance increase to government CEOs, “We are disgusted to learn that the ‘fattened-two-foot-pigs’ have given themselves another bigger piece of the pie …” In a press release that had been issued the day prior to that leaked memo, the Union had made an “Animal Farm” reference. Asked about the “fattened-two-foot-pigs” comment on Open Your Eyes on December 4, Prime Minister John Briceño said that the teachers need to look in the mirror first. He commented, in passing, that he has been told it is only two or three persons who are pushing an agenda. He then shared that the Government has been “… investing more and more, and we’re not getting the returns. The problem is that we are not teaching properly.” He also frowned on the fact that teachers are complaining about a thirty-minute addition to their hours of teaching.
Today, the BNTU responded, saying that the remark was a “deliberate and appropriate literary reference.” Their release states, “As indicated by the use of the quotation marks, it was a direct allusion to the satirical novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. This classic work serves as a powerful critique of social inequalities and the exploitation of the masses by those in power.” The Union continues, “We believe the ‘fattened-two-foot pigs’ reference aptly mirrors the current situation in Belize, where we witness a stark contrast between the increasing wealth and privileges enjoyed by government officials and the daily struggles of ordinary citizens, including dedicated educators who face stagnant wages and inadequate resources.”
The BNTU says it deplores the Prime Minister’s “dismissive and disrespectful response toward the Union and the teaching profession.” The Union says it finds his “sweeping statement… unfounded and deeply offensive” and that it “undermines the dedication and hard work of educators who strive to provide quality education to Belizean youths despite facing numerous challenges.” The BNTU is calling on the PM to engage in constructive dialogue based on objective data and evidence. It is also calling for him to retract his “harmful remarks about teachers and acknowledge their invaluable contributions to society.”