In every growing democracy, the question of how much power should a State seek to exert in the name of development be entertained. Certainly, without the State wielding some say-so over the industries that serve to drive an economy, there would be chaos and a backward step in achieving the progress older democracies seem to have mastered. But when have you gone too far? Should all aspects of education be state-controlled? Teachers put that very question on the table all the way back in 1966.

Published Friday, June 3, 1966

First day in the empty classrooms

Bust special arrangements in some schools for GCE studies

Seventh-Day Adventists not in stoppage

SOME 7,000 teachers across Jamaica in nearly all the island’s 800-odd schools shunned the classrooms yesterday, the first day of the three-day strike which has been called by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association.

The strike is in protest against Clause 35 and 36 of the new Education Code which empowers the Minister of Education to confirm or refuse to confirm appointments of teachers.

With the exception of a small number of schools, teaching staff did not report to work at all yesterday. And a check showed that in some cases where about a quarter of the number turned out, they did so to help take care of the students who had attended school but not to teach.

Some 500,000 students began a long holiday weekend which ends, Tuesday morning when the teachers on strike are due to resume.

Many students who had not heard of the JTA strike order issued Wednesday, turned out only to be told that school would not be kept before Tuesday next as their teachers were out on protest. Some stayed around to romp a few hours in the schoolyard while others packed buses back home.

Special classes were held in some secondary schools for the benefit of the 5,000-odd students taking the GCE examinations.

Reports coming from every parish of the island indicated that the strike was about 95 percent effective with teachers at even some of the smallest private schools staying away.

A survey of schools in the Corporate Area showed that while some secondary schools kept their gates and classrooms open to facilitate students taking the GCE exams, the primary schools were tightly shut with not a sign of life around.

In one case, that of the Swallowfield Primary School, word was circulated in the morning that classes were going on. As soon as the news spread, it is understood, teacher-pickets went to the school, but by the time they arrived at 10 o’clock, the classes were dismissed and the students had gone home.

But it was known that teachers at schools operate by at least one religious denomination – The Seventh Day Adventist – had not joined in yesterday’s strike.

A spokesman on Education for the Church; Pastor L. H. Fletcher told the “Gleaner” that only a few of the teachers in schools run by the Church were members of the JTA. He added: “And it is the policy of the Church to support the elected Government of the day”. He said that instructions had been given to the teachers to continue classes as normal.

Cabinet meeting

At a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday, the strike was discussed.

Both the Minister of Education, the Hon. Edwin Allen and Jamaica Teacher’s association issued statements on the strike.

In his statement, later read to the House of Representatives, the Minister repeated his previous statement that the Government was not prepared to agree to the setting to the setting up of an appointments Board for teachers. Instead, he said, the “Government is definitely now considering making teachers civil servants and giving them a Teaching Services Committee”.

He added that “Government is not prepared to set up any Appointments Board at all which would leave teachers free to be politicians”.

Mr. Allen also said that the Government’s decision on the strike was that teachers who absented themselves from school in support of the strike would not be paid for the period during which they were absent. And managers would be circularized to the effect that no leave of absence would be approved by the Ministry of Education for the purpose.

JTA decision

In a nine-point statement, the JTA “reaffirmed its pledge to work in the interest of the nation and its children” and stated that teachers desired to work in an atmosphere free from fear of insecurity.

The current strike of teachers – followed a meeting between the Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Donald Sangster, the minister of Education, the Hon. Edwin Allen and members of the JTA’s executive on Wednesday.

The decision to strike was taken at a meeting of the General Council of the JTA on Tuesday, at which meeting it was agreed that a last-minute attempt should be made to get the Government to change Clauses 35 and 38 of the code.

Prior to the General Council meeting, a meeting of the executives of the JTA and the Manchester Parish Teacher’s Association was held in Mandeville on Sunday, at which the JTA prevented a 3-day strike of teachers of Manchester, which has been decided upon on the previous day.

The JTA, it is reported, asked the teachers of Manchester “to postpone their decision to strike pending concerted action on a national scale”. The decision to hold the General Council meeting was also taken at the meeting.

As agreed on at the General Council meeting, the teachers met the Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Education on the Code. And when both Ministers refused to agree to change the disputes clauses, the JTA issued the strike order.

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