22 Hrs Ago
Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath – Photo by Angelo Marcelle
WHEN SCHOOLS reopened this week, everything was physically ready. Repairs were done at 82 facilities. A total of 137,000 breakfasts and lunches were supplied. Cops were in place. Staff was out. But one thing, easily overlooked, was missing.
As reported by this newspaper and subsequently confirmed by the TT Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) on January 7, some teachers wanting to access counselling would have found the usual service absent.
The disruption of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a dismaying development that possibly breaches terms and conditions agreed to by teachers under collective bargaining arrangements.
At best, it reflects a cavalier attitude to the well-being of these professionals on the part of the authorities. At worst, it is in line with prevalent attitudes and taboos surrounding mental health.
We strongly commend, therefore, the Ministry of Education’s clarification on January 9, after several days of questioning from our reporters, that it “recognises that mental health and psychological support are critical to employee well-being, workforce resilience and the effective delivery of education.”
We also welcome the announcement that the ministry was “actively addressing the provision of EAP services” and its concomitant pledge “to provide further updates once arrangements are finalised.”
This finalisation process should be swift.
Teachers will still be able to access therapy if they need it, just at their own expense – if they wish to use independent services – outside of ministry-approved providers.
Paramount in the education system should be the interests of children, not adults. Anyone who chooses to be a teacher has chosen a stressful job. That’s on them.
But the choice of a counsellor is a sensitive, confidential and personal issue that should not be overly constrained by any employer.
While teachers can be regarded as big adults who knew what they were getting into when they chose this career, there are some stressors unique to the profession. That cops are now in the nation’s classrooms reflects this.
“It’s one of the most stressful jobs,” noted TTUTA president Crystal Ashe this week. “Teaching, you’re there the whole day with the children; you’re the mother, the father and the counsellor, and you have to deal with the parents, too. Most teachers take work home to finish it.”
A single counselling session can cost as much as $450. Over time, that adds up, especially when set against pay levels for public servants generally. The inclusion of EAP stipulations within collective agreements is, therefore, no matter to be trifled with.
If the state envisions the need to control and curb counselling expenses, it has other means of doing so besides restricting access. We hope all stakeholders, working together, arrive at a respectful and workable consensus on this important matter.