Lecturers Demand Answers While PM Bemoans Inaction on SALCC

Low morale and high levels of uncertainty breeding questions in many minds.

LECTURERS AT the island’s highest tertiary institution are uncertain about much of what’s happening at and with the college – and have asked their union to get answers from the Ministry of Education. But they are not alone: the Prime Minister says he too wants to see things happening and promises that this will soon be so.

Saint Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) President, Julian Monrose says there is indeed quite some confusion reigning at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) and lecturers in fact want the situation resolved before the new school term begins.

“We know that there is confusion at the college,” Monrose said Friday.

“We know that there is a Vice Principal who is giving direction, but we also know that the board had appointed a leadership team comprising two other persons that would be giving direction to the college,” the SLTU President observed.

He asserted that once such confusion exists and the new school year begins, it would not augur well for the morale of SLTU members.

According to Monrose, the college has been without a Principal for the past seven months, which has created some problems.

“That is where you have a leadership team on one end and then you have a Vice Principal on another — and that has to be corrected, because the staff has to know from whom they are taking directives,” the SLTU official explained.

The SALCC board resigned earlier this month, amid word of a fallout with the government over the imposition of an increase in tuition fees.

Monrose said the board never communicated to the SLTU why its members were resigning, although it was the right of board members to quit.

“What we are concerned about is the situation at the college that is not good – a working atmosphere that is not good for the lecturers and the assistant lecturers and one that is certainly not good for the education of our young people,” he stated.

The SLTU held a meeting with lecturers last week and Monrose said it was clear that they wanted something done.

“Morale is very low. They don’t know what is happening at the college – they don’t know who is in charge and that is impacting morale and they are saying that they want that resolved,” the SLTU president said.

He said the lecturers have given the union a mandate to write to the Minister of Education to seek dialogue so that their concerns can be addressed before the new term starts.

He also expressed the view that it would be “the proper thing” for the ministry to consult with the union before appointing a new SALCC board.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Allen Chastanet seems to also be getting tired of the lack of movement that is causing the low morale and high uncertainty level at the college.

Last week, President of the Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union, Julian Monrose expressed his desire for Cabinet to include the SLTU in discussions over the installation of the new Board of Governors.

At yesterday’s weekly Cabinet Press Briefing, Prime Minister Allen Chastanet welcomed contributions from all concerned parties, but also made it clear, that the final decision on SALCC rests with his Cabinet.

“We are always welcome to get any ideas from the teachers union,” Chastanet stated, when asked to comment about Monrose’s expressed desire to have the SLTU involved in those discussions.

“We don’t have any secrets” Chastanet continued “but the fact is once Cabinet receives all the different information, it’s for us to make the policy decision moving forward.”

He then added that after that decision is taken “now the Teachers’ Union plays a significant role in making sure that nobody’s hurt and we’re doing things the right way and we can receive their input.”