An estimated 600 cases of teacher absenteeism have gone unpunished because of existing weaknesses in the procedure to effect action.This is according to Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh.The minister was asked to comment on the high incidence of teacher absenteeism in the nation's schools.
He said the warning notices by school principals and supervisors "were not properly filled out" and that has affected the move to discipline the teachers. The incidence of absenteeism and reporting to class late were logged in a book but were not properly recorded on the teacher's file, he said.
Gopeesingh has repeatedly spoken out about the issue of teacher absenteeism in the nation's school. In February, he was engaged in a verbal clash with the second vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association Orville Carrington during a visit to the Cunupia Secondary School.
Yesterday, in response to a question for the T& Guardian on the matter, Gopeesingh said he was "not sure the absent teachers have escaped disciplinary action."He said the Chief Education Officer and the Human Resource department of his ministry recently conducted a training programme to ensure instances of absenteeism were being recorded and filed properly. Gopeesingh said the matter will be properly dealt with in the future by the Teaching Service Commission.