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Teachers News Aug 2009 : Other Articles

Seminar held for 100 young teachers on 22 July 2009

In line with the will to empower young teachers, the GTU held a seminar for 100 young teachers on 22 July at L. E. Fabien Teachers’ Centre.  The seminar was inaugurated by Hon. J. F. Chaumière.  Same teachers had the golden opportunity to interact with Mr Nundloll from the Ministry of Civil Service on the new conditions of service as laid out by the PRB 2008 and Errors & Omissions Report 2009.  They were also informed about the history and the new vision of the GTU.  The president of the GTU warned young teachers not to show acquaintance with the fake union which has caused utter harm to GTU.

Special Education Needs Teachers

The GTU created history when it helped Teachers working in special schools obtain a 300% rise in their special allowance as well as a proper structuring of the department.  This achievement is very rare if not unique in any errors and omissions report ever published.  All thanks to the flawless leadership of Mr Seegum who with the help of his team have made the GTU achieve its deserved credibility in the eyes of the authorities.  .  This huge achievement was only the beginning, the GTU also organised the first ever meeting with the Desk officer for special needs on the 5th of August where all those working in Special Needs department were given the opportunity to voice out their problems as well as expressing their views in relation to the department.  Most recently during a meeting held on he 12th of August with the Director  and the Registrar of the MIE it was confirmed that a new tailor made diploma course in special needs will start by the end of this year and all teachers in special schools will be taken on board.  This is another historical triumph for the GTU as some teachers have worked in the department for more than 20 years without any substantial, credible and certified training course.  The managing team of the GTU has once again showed its utter determination to professionalise the education sector.  Thanks to the GTU the dying special needs department has  started to breathe again and this will surely benefit all the students with disabilities.  Few are the unions that can negotiate  successfully with so many institutions with the same success everywhere.  The GTU managing team is surely a winning one.  Long live GTU…
From,
S.Mootien
( special  needs  department )

Congrats to the dynamic coordinator of SEN, Mr S. Mootien

The utter commitment of Mr S. Mootien has led him to emerge as a dynamic coordinator of SEN Teachers.  GTU has promised to offer all support to Mr S. Mootien in all his endeavours to resolve SEN Teachers’ problems.  Suffice it to say that even the ministry has been taken by surprise upon a young committed SEN Teacher knowing the SEN Sector on his fingertips.  GTU wishes full success to Mr S. Mootien and his team.

NLNS INCREMENT

It was GTU longlasting battle to restore the NLNS allowance to at least its original amount following the serious blunder of Lollbeeharry’s team at the helm of the GTU in 2003.  The ex-president agreed to an allowance of only 7% to all teachers compared to the 12% originally allocated.  With the actual team’s commitment to redress the issue and appearing for its first PRB Report in 2008, the PRB agreed to the union’s proposal to include the allowance in the basic salary.  However some teachers who did not opt to follow the Diploma Course have failed to get their annual increment as their salary tops at R 24000.  They will move up in their salary scale only if they obtain the Diploma or if they are promoted to DHT. Otherwise they will earn their long-year service increment in 2010.

GTU Protest to MIE

GTU officially wrote to the Director MIE, to protest against the Maths Paper for teachers taking part for the Diploma MIE/IGNOU exams in July.

Reply to Les nouveaux promus: DHT Arrears

Les nouveaux promus DHT

Suite à l’article signé “les nouveaux promus” la GTU qui y était invitée à  éclairer les enseignants sur cette question tient à préciser les faits suivants.  Le rapport du PRB 2008 a préconisé que dorénavant la promotion au grade de DHT ne se ferait qu’après avoir rempli les postes vacants.  Auparavant les nominations se faisaient avec effet rétroactif mais le PRB a clairement précisé dans son rapport qu’un  enseignant promu ne pouvait être rémunéré pour un travail qu’il n’a pas effectué.  Ainsi la question d’arrérages ne se pose plus.  Les enseignants nommés en novembre 2008 étaient sur une liste établie avant le 30 juin 2008 c.à.d avant l’application des mesures du rapport.

Voici ce que dit le rapport du PRB 2008

Pg 77   Recruitment and Promotion

Recommendation 3

9.34   We recommend that filling of vacancies in respect of grade-to-grade promotion should as from 1 January 2009 invariably take effect from either (a) the date of assumption of duty; or (b) the date the actingship/assignment of duties starts; or (c) the date of vacancy whichever is the latest, provided in case of (c) there has been no gap between the actingship/assignment of duties and the date of offer of appointment.

Donc c’est clair comme l’eau de source que dans tous les secteurs du service civil et autres départements gouvernementaux, il n’y aura pas de ‘back pay’.  D’ailleurs les rédacteurs du rapport ont émis les commentaires suivants à la même page sous le paragraphe.

9.32     An officer who is promoted to a higher post following a promotion exercise is thus eligible to receive the salary of the new office as from the date the vacancy occurred, even if he is on leave of absence at the date of occurrence of the vacancy subject to availability of funds.  Thus, though an officer has not been performing the duties and shouldering the responsibilities pertaining to the higher post, he is being paid salary for duties which he has, in fact, not performed. On the other had, another officer might, in the meantime, have been assigned the higher duties against payment of a responsibility allowance which ultimately results in double payment in respect of the same vacancy.  Instances have also been reported where Senior Officers have refused to assume office in an acting capacity knowing that promotion will be backdated.
Quant au délai imposé d’une semaine, la GTU ne comprend pas comment un enseignant qui attend 30 longues années pour être promu, puisse prendre du temps pour réfléchir s’il veut la promotion ou pas. D’ailleurs nul n’a été forcé de retourner son acceptation le même jour.

La GTU a pu exercer des pressions notamment avec la manifestation historique du 29 mars 2008 pour garantir le maintien de la promotion automatique des enseignants au grade de DHT.  Elle a ensuite forcé et le ministère et la MIE à démarrer les cours du Diploma in Ed. Management.  Ainsi donc les DHT seront très bientôt éligibles au travel grant de R 5500.  Si certains pense-petit trouvent en cela une punition,  la GTU n’y peut absolument rien !

Jugduth Seegum

SECURITY GUARDS

During a meeting with the Minister Hon. V. Bunwaree, GTU President pressed for security guards to be posted at the main entrance of all schools during school hours.  The minister argued that it would cost too much whereby, Mr Seegum proposed that a list of a few schools where problems often occur should be given priority.
The proposal was accepted and very shortly some schools will benefit from the service of a security guard pending the project to be implemented in all schools.

TRANSFER EXERCISE 2010

Members are reminded to send a copy of their transfer forms to GTU office so that their transfer can be effected as per their wish, as far as possible.  It should be noted that a fake union is claiming to effect transfer of teachers which is outrightly illegal, as they have no procedural agreement to do such actions.  GTU will stand up against anybody who would ever dare baffle its rights.

TRAVEL GRANT AND ALLOWANCES

DHT, who draw basic salary of R 27200 can opt to have a monthly travel allowance of R 2000 or their normal travel rate by bus (whichever is higher).  Those who have completed their CEM Course will benefit from the travel grant of R 5500/- but should possess a car (either in their own name or in their spouse’s name).  The application form for the grant is available at the ministry or at the Directorate.

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THE AH1N1 FLU

GTU feels much concerned about the propagation of the AHINI Flu in the island and the risk that its members be contaminated at the workplace.  GTU denounced the false statement made on a private radio by the minister in the sense that all stakeholders at school level are aware of the measures to be taken in case of any suspected case.  It is under pressure from GTU that the ministry convened all headteachers to a meeting at zone level on Tuesday 11 August 2009 in order to take cognizance of the measures to be taken.  GTU has made a request that protective masks be given to teachers as priority in order that they be sheltered from any risk of contamination.

Withdraw from GPTU

GPTU has caused enough harm to the GTU that it is high time that an aggressive campaign be launched in order to bring members to withdraw from the GPTU.  The question of dual membership with the GPTU will soon be addressed.  Delegates are requested to help in this direction.  Young teachers should be well informed about the difference between GTU and GPTU.  Let alone their false averment that they will sit on the transfer committee… they have been falsely claiming same for the past 23 years and yet they have not been able to effect a single ‘official’ transfer in so many years.  So do not follow the hollow heads directly into the précipice.

GTU and the MIE

The fact that GTU and MIE work in close collaboration does not please the GPTU.  The blockheads have again written to the Minister complaining this time about the toilets at L.E.Fabien Teachers Centre in a bid to debar young teachers to follow the ACE.  On the one hand Vinod Seegum is effecting all types of acrobatics to have all complete the ACE and reap increments, on the other  the born obstructionists are putting spokes in the wheels as usual.  And some still incense the GPTU leaders.  It is for this reason that those who do so are requested to look in the GPTU direction only. Come what may,  Vinod Seegum will not leave any stone unturned to offer upgrading courses to all members of the GTU.  Members will recall that Seegum has been the mastermind to start the MIE/IGNOU Diploma and the DPEM.  And he has done same for Rodriguan teachers as well.  Even if the toilets are in perfect order, it has been decided to put new and modern toilets so that teachers be the ultimate winners.  Construction works are already on.  Note that not only the 2nd Semester for ACE soon starts at L.E. Fabien Teachers Centre, a cohort of teachers will also follow DPEM course there, which shows the real commitment of the GTU towards teachers in general.

Appointment of Delegates
Few schools have not yet returned their Delegates Forms to the union.  Teachers of same schools are requested to hasten matters.  A delegates assembly will be held in the weeks to come in order to discuss and ratify major decisions.  As promised , the union will empower delegates by putting at their disposal the right tools so that they effect their job in a more conducive way.  The icing on the cake will be the publication of Delegates names in next Teachers News and on GTU New Website.  A delegates’ training programme to be held in a mini hotel on zonal basis is also in the pipeline.  Regional officers are earnestly requested to help in the collection of Delegates Forms.

Note:  No GPTU member to be appointed GTU delegate.

Final dates for STD I, II, III examinations

Mr Chourimootoo blamed teachers of La Briquetterie G. School

Following Mr Chourimootoo’s article of 17.6.09 which appeared in Le Mauricien blaming teachers of La Briquetterie G.S, GTU president held a meeting with same teachers to offer support to them.  He also replied to same article in Le Mauricien of 6 July 2009.  Find hereunder the reply of GTU:

Mentors

The request from mentors to the ministry to accede to a cluster of schools have been diversely commented.  Hereunder is the article which appeared in the issue of Le Matinal of Monday 10th August 2009. GTU is against Mentors to be in charge of cluster of schools.  The decision announced by the minister is illegal.

Stop Press: New Date for DPEM Exam

Vinod Seegum has negotiated for new dates for DPEM exam and submission of assignment.