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PHILIPSBURG--The recently submitted governing programme failed to address some critical issues in the country's education system, according to Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) President Claire Elshot.

She said on Tuesday that the governing programme "is lacking" when it comes to addressing issues in education. She said "a lot" had not been "dealt with" in the programme, particularly with regard to personnel.

"What they outlined was with regard to the infrastructure and buildings, but nothing with regard to the care of the students and teachers," Elshot said.

She said the union and its members were concerned about the constant "deterioration" and "weakening" of educators' health care package, whereby medication was being substituted with generic ones.

The union is also concerned about the elimination of the early retirement or VUT package for retirement and authorities' failure to increase teachers' vacation allowance equal to the amount paid in other parts of the Dutch Kingdom. There was also no discussion on the adjustment of salaries based on the rising price index.

In addition, teachers who reach "step 20" in their salary scale are "frustrated" because instead of benefitting with a career development they are faced with a freeze in their salary. She said too that there was no evaluation or accreditation system in place, so teachers were "stuck" in their salary category.

Teachers are also concerned about their increased workload, violence against them, the lack of support for their creative development and the fact that there is no system of financial aid for them to pursue a higher level.

On the issue of the "privatisation of Public Education" as mentioned in the governing programme, Elshot said the union had not been consulted on this issue. She believes the word "privatisation" was used inappropriately in the programme.

She has the impression that the privatisation of public education programme is intended for businesses in the private sector to adopt a school. She said this would not affect the fundamental rights and privileges of teachers and would not change the content or the quality of education.

If Government chooses to involve businesses in a give-back programme for schools, Elshot said it was its prerogative to do so. Government, she noted, would have to evaluate the effectiveness of this programme.

Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo weighed in on the "adopt a school programme" in a press release issued on Tuesday. She said persons should start thinking outside the box and embrace creative solutions to assist in remedying the challenges in St Maarten.

"By no means does this imply that Government is relinquishing its responsibility to the education system of the country. However, it creates the opportunity for businesses to be socially responsible and allow them to make a contribution through the adopting a school programme," she said.

"Big businesses come to St Maarten and receive tax breaks for a certain amount of years as an incentive for them to conduct business on the island, but what should be added to this incentive is the ability to adopt a school in order to get the tax break, along with other fiscal measures that will secure our competitive edge.

"There is nothing abstract in this request. Many of our public schools function on a skeletal level because of the lack of material or they run out of basic necessities before the school year ends.

"Regardless to what is budgeted from the little that the Government has, receiving additional contributions from big businesses can only be supplementary and benefit those schools that are in dire need. This concept is nothing new. It is actually being practised, even though partially, by companies such as PJIA.

"Businesses can also grant scholarships or pay for specialised training or internships to students of the schools they adopt. The physical upkeep of the schools is just one way to adopt a school and there are many other creative possibilities."