Valies predicts longer Easter vacation

“If the government does not execute the revaluation as agreed with the Teachers’ Association (BvL) and the Alliance for Teachers in Suriname (ALS), teachers will not return to their stations after the Easter vacation,” Wilgo Valies, chairman of both unions, told Times of Suriname.

“Some teachers noticed an adjustment of their salary while others get paid less than before and others did not notice any financial revaluation. I do not know if the government did in fact execute the revaluation program but things that we did not agree upon were carried out and we will not accept that. So that means that there will be a clash,” said Wilgo Valies. The teachers are angry because there is still so much uncertainty with regards to the revaluation program. At a general members meeting that was held at Mata Gauri on Thursday, it was decided that the unions would inform the government of the dissatisfaction and the point of view of the union members in a letter and by staying away from the work place. Valies pointed out that the union members were really upset on Thursday. The teachers are angry about the treatment that they are receiving from the government. The union chairman pointed out that the government does not stick to agreements which is why many educators are dissatisfied. The teachers made it clear that the government had been given enough time to prepare things and they are fed up with the fact that the government keeps making agreements which it then sweeps under the rug. Valies urged the nation’s teachers to form one fist and not to let intimidation attempts scare them. The BvL and ALS have expressed their point of view in a letter that was addressed to the government. The unions and the government were supposed to meet and discuss important issues but there were no meetings and things that were not agreed upon have been implemented. Teachers disapprove of the fact that the government scrapped their permanent education bonus which was a right that they obtained years ago. The chairman made it clear that teachers will not return to classes if the government does not discuss things with the unions and carries out agreements in a correct manner.