Valies: “Minister implements Rambolike policy”

“The minister is implementing a Rambo-like policy and the union must protest against this or else I am afraid that we might as well close up shop,” said Wilgo Valies, chairman of the Teachers’ Association (BvL), said at an emergency meeting on Wednesday. “We challenge the minister to take measures against a single teacher,” said Valies who added that the minister is running the ministry in a dictatorial manner and that his attitude could cause problems at a time when talks with the government are taking place. Valies pointed out that the government must call the minister to order. The press conference was held in response to statements made by the minister of Education, Science and Culture, Robert Peneux. The minister this week warned that measures will be taken against teachers and students who do not report to their schools on October 3, the first day of school. Minister Peneux told Times of Suriname that he has done his duty as Education minister by announcing the new school year. “I do not understand why it was misinterpreted. The important thing is for me to summon the teachers,” said the minister. Valies pointed out that “the minister knows very well that what he is saying is nonsense.” “He is consciously intimidating teachers to make them too scared to exercise their constitutional right. According to the constitution and the International Labor Organization (ILO), teachers must not be hindered when they are summoned by their union. The minister is violating the constitutional rights of teachers with his statements. If the government does not correct this, we will inform the ILO. We will do everything we can to get a clear answer from the government and that answer will determine if we will fight in the period to come. It is the union’s opinion that students are entitled to receiving education but on the other hand teachers have the right to exercise their constitutional rights at any time. The situations with which teachers are being confronted are not easy. There is something very wrong at the ministry. Teachers are constantly being reassigned and when they explain why they can’t go to another school, they are accused of failure to comply instead of being supported. There are recordings of answers that teachers are given by certain officials at the ministry. The use of the reassignment measure as a tool to intimidate teachers must end. Teachers are seen as little children when they want to stand up for their rights. Teachers work hard for the interests of education and on the grounds of that they should be given respect. We do not want the minister to wake up someday and to start confronting teachers with various issues. We have accepted this for far too long and will present the minister’s attitude as an issue to put an end to the manipulation of teachers for once and for all. We have been at the same level for the past 5 years and we must seize the opportunity to tell the government that enough is enough.”