Widespread teacher sick calls disrupt classes across T&T, students sent back home 

Trinidad and Tobago: Several schools across Trinidad and Tobago, on Tuesday, were forced to send their students home because of multiple reports of teachers calling in sick which left compounds unsupervised as well as prompted concerns among parents.

The disruptions came just hours after the Cabinet had just approved wage increases for teachers after the conclusion of salary negotiations between the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association and Chief Personnel Officer. This agreement covers the period between October 2020 to September 2023 which has ended years of discussions over the pay and benefits of teachers.

According to the parents, they were advised to collect their children from the St Mary’s government School after they were told that no teachers were present on the compound and this raised immediate safety concerns.

Apart from St Mary, similar reports came from several other primary and secondary schools in both Trinidad and Tobago. Principals as well as representatives of these schools cited widespread illness among the teaching staff.

The schools which were impacted included Vance River RC in La Brwa, Exchange presbyterian in Couva, Sacred Heart Boys’ RC in Port of Spain, Scarborough Methodist, Montrose Government, Jerningham Government Primary, Tablepiece Government Primary in Tobago, Hardbargain RC, Poole River Presbyterian Primary, Rosary Boys’ RC, St Anthony’s Girls’ RC in Diego Martin, St James Secondary and several other schools in Moruga, Grande, Guaico, Rio Claro and Cunaripo.

In several of these situations, schools reported just one or two teachers being present while others reported entire staff being absent because of flu-like symptoms.

Both parents and educators are describing the situation as a sick out while no official confirmation has been yet issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association or the Ministry of Education on some coordinated action.