The T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is upset that physics teacher Lennon Rampersad, who is currently under probe by the Teaching Service Commission, has been publically identified while his matter is still under probe.
Last week a daily newspaper published a story and photo of Rampersad and gave the details of his case, including that his lawyers had written to the permanent secretary in the Education Ministry on January 26 and made out a case that he was under stress after being given additional duties. The attorneys also recommended that Rampersad be reassigned to teach in areas suitable to his qualifications.
Rampersad, a physics teacher at Presentation College, Chaguanas, in response had said he was unaware of any investigation. He also claimed he had been performing his duties. Rampersad was named as one of 600 teachers now being probed by the TSC for gross absenteeism. But addressing the case yesterday, TTUTA president Davanand Sinanan said while he understood it was right of the TSC to probe the matter, he was concerned over the fact that Rampersad was identified.
“What we are very concerned about is that fact that the commission would single out a specific teacher and use a specific name as an example, because this is a person who is under an investigation and the person has not been charged with anything,” Sinanan said. He said it was also worrying that Rampersad’s name was being dragged throughout the media, resulting in many people making their own pronouncements and publicly ridiculing the teacher although there has been no pronouncement on the case.
“That is something that we are very upset about,” Sinanan added. It was reported that apart from teaching physics, Rampersad was also assigned to teach mathematics and additional mathematics. Sinanan said many teachers are often placed under undue stress, adding that oftentimes they could not wait to retire upon completing their 33 and a third years of service. Saying that stress was a serious issue facing the teaching service, Sinanan said many discussions were held with the Education Ministry on the matter.
“That is why we have the Employee Assistance Programme, so that teachers can deal with that stress and the job seems to be getting more and more stressful given the high levels of violence teachers have to face on a daily basis,” Sinanan said.