Teacher not paid salary for months

THE EDITOR, Madam:

THERE IS a pervading systematic disease affecting the education system in Jamaica and nothing is being done about it. How is it justified to withhold a person’s salary for any period of time? How has this trend of not paying teachers on time became ‘normal’, to the point where nobody is eager to address it? It is downright demotivating to have to wait one to four months to be paid for work that is physically and mentally demanding.

I began working at a local high school from September 1. During the first week of staff and department meetings, I was sent an email containing a list of over 10 items I needed to produce in order to complete the hiring process. One of the items requested was bank account details. This was during a week filled with meetings, and lockdowns, which was resulting in extremely long lines at the banks. It was, therefore, impossible to get an account opened without spending an entire day. I sent all other documents requested by the school, with the exception of the bank account details – I indicated that I will open a bank account at a later date.

I was able to open the bank account when the restrictions were eased, details of which I emailed the school at the end of September, I got confirmation for the same. Approximately three weeks later, I received an email requesting me to send the bank account information that I previously emailed. I sent the information again, and the following day received another email request for the same information.

NO EXPLANATION

Long and short of it is that I, along with other teachers who started working at the school in September, haven’t been paid for two months. No explanations or apologies have been given, and I am still not certain when I will get paid. I continue to show up on time for classes, teach my students to the best of my abilities, turn in lesson plans and evaluations on time, and fulfil all my duties as a teacher.

Why is it so difficult for the system to do for me as I do for my students daily? I have been tempted to simple stop working, because it feels unappreciated to do so much for so little consideration. Nevertheless, I continue to work, though the system has wronged me; the students have not, and they need to learn. This, I feel, is why the system continues to get away with so much ... because there are teachers who continue to serve, despite not being served. They do it for the students.

Our bills still need to be paid, children fed, and doing things to balance the stresses of the job cost money. Just never mind that teachers are humans too who have rights. We can live and survive off our passion and love of the profession, and the students we empower.

UNPAID TEACHER