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Should Teachers Get A Salary Increase?

Should Teachers Get A Salary Increase?

Do you think that Teachers deserve a Salary Increase or are they asking for more and giving little?

Increase Salary Get Teachers Should

I think they do deserve a salary increase. I do not think the salary they get is good compared to what they have to put up with. Of course there are exceptions for any rule but I think they do deserve an increase.

Should Teachers Get A Salary Increase? Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

The most obvious answer most teachers will say is a resounding YES! give me more money. Now yes I think more money is good, who doesn't like money and with the cost of living getting more and more unbearable, a salary increase is gladly accepted. Now you all know me by now, there is a 'but' in there isn't it? Well everytime TTUTA has negotiations I always ask the question, "What about perks?" Teachers have no perks and I mean none. Why aren't we asking for house or car allowance? What about more than three days paternity or bereavement leave? How about teachers paying no downpayment and legal fees for NHA (or is it HDC?) houses? I don't know about you guys but I would like to see some perks there along with my salary increase (which is taxed). I remember some years ago when there was a salary increase some teachers actually took home less money because they went into a higher tax bracket, fair isn't it? Thank God that doesn't happen again because of the ELM (External Labour Market) that TTUTA is using for some time now as their yard stick in negotiations. That ELM thing basically means that if you where to go to the job market out there with your present qualification, you would be paid a certain salary. This is what TTUTA is negotiating for. Thanks for your time in reading this reply. Looking forward to further discussions.

Increase Salary Get Teachers Should

I agree that using the ELM is the best method.
SOme people believe that the holidays compensate but we must remember that teachers are "on" all of the time. We do not only teach our students during scheduled class time, but, we MUST prepare lessons, research relevant information, correct papers and guide, guide, guide.
The holidays ar spent rdoing work as well,
In short, Yes! Yes! Yes!

Increase Salary Get Teachers Should

Bigup to teachers in T&T, but what I want to know is how is the quality of teaching going to be improved with this increase in salary?

Should Teachers Get A Salary Increase?

Well it is time for me to make my controversial statement for the day. I do not agree that teachers should be given a raise, since they do not deserve it! I have spoken to many individuals who appear to be very articulate and intelligent, only to learn that they chose to drop out high school. Naturally, I was curious as to what compelled them to make such a drastic decision and the answers were all the same. Their parents are struggling to make ends meet and they cannot afford to be giving their child money for transport to go to school, only to learn that teachers are absent from classes, for whatever reason! Very sad but true!

This is an excellent point Domesticated!

Rather off topic, but... This situation may be compared to WASA's viewpoint to increase rates. Before WASA increases water rates, everyone should have access to good, clean water on a daily basis. Just like all kids deserve to receive a high quality of education. A child's willingness to learn should not be discouraged because of teachers on strike or choosing to be absent from class for whatever reason.

If teachers expect to receive a raise, they need to improve their attitude (for example eliminate the high absenteeism) and renew their commitment, to ensure that the children of Trinidad and Tobago, are equipped with the knowledge they require, to enter the adult working world.

Should Teachers Get Salary Increase

Geenie:

I think you are generalizing way too much. It is impossible for you to make such statement because you do not know all teachers. Having said that, I hope you are not one of the many Trinidadians who blame teachers for not only the lack of discipline in children but also the lack of interest they have in school work.

Teachers have certain amount of days off (casual and sick leave). Most of the teachers I have worked with were VERY hard working people, LOTS of them staying after school to give FREE lessons to students as well as being there for them on a continuous basis.

It is very simple to blame teachers for the lack of good parenting in certain homes in Trinidad and Tobago, it is very simple to blame teachers for the rude behavior, indiscipline, aggression and violence displayed by some of the youth in the country, it is very easy to blame teachers for a poor Ministry of Education approach to the whole issue of Education in the country.

Teachers are being used as scapegoats and for some STRANGE reason, people in Trinidad and Tobago wrongly think teachers should do *this* or *that* removing the parent's responsibility towards their own kids! And placing that responsibility to teachers. Ridiculous!

I do not deny the fact that some bad apples are within the system, but to judge teachers as a whole because of it, is unfair.

The real problem with the Youth and Education in Trinidad has nothing to do with teacher's absenteeism but with a failed, poor, dysfunctional home they come from as well as special needs.

Should Teachers Get Salary Increase Trinidad & Tobago / Caribbean

Geenie
While I believe that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, I tend to agree with LDS_forever that you are using someone else's opinion based on the generalisations of a few that because there are some teachers that may abuse a system (based on a situation that the that the Government has agreed to for all public servants) you are of the view that all teachers are bad.
I can vouch for various teachers from a wide range of schools both secondary and primary, who go the extra mile.
We are operating in a country (world) where children are dealing with a different kind of peer pressure, poor role models (some at home), parents who may or may not live together or with them, barrel children etc and the teachers have to come into this and make sense.
We have to be caring without stepping over boundaries, and there are special considerations where there are male in a female school or vice versa.
We deal with problems in and outside of the classroom and have to continue to bring new information to our students while inspiring them to get new information on their own. And all of this is done without tools from the Ministry.
My students ask me all the time why I am a teacher and my answer is always " I teach because it is my choice and I enjoy it". I refer to my students as "mine" and I am not unique in that regard.
Salary increase, certainly. The last thing we need is teachers who are unable to pay bills and unable to cope with rising prices in Trinidad.
Prices have almost doubled over the last 3 years and teachers still need a safe place to live and basic food.