Maydha Persaud, Avril Crawford, Doodmattie Singh, Joan Ann Davis-Monkhouse, Shafiran Bhajan, Satti Jaisierisingh, and Chief Education Officer Mohammed Saddam Hussain, were on Friday appointed as members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).
Five of the seven members took their oaths before President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.
The commission is responsible for the appointment of teachers, and the removal and exercise of disciplinary control over any person acting in such offices.
President Ali underlined the importance of the commission in ensuring that suitably qualified persons are appointed as teachers, stating that placing ill-qualified and ill-suited persons to educate Guyana’s children can be disastrous to their future and the human resource development of the country.
“Teachers are the backbone of our education system. They are responsible for molding the minds of our children, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and the right attitude combo, readying them for higher education, and to their varied roles in society. Teachers, therefore, are not only indispensable to our education system but are vital to the functioning of responsible citizenship,” he said.
Dr Ali, therefore, urged the new commission not to take their positions lightly, but to remain faithful to the oath, and ensure that their actions contribute to the appointment of teachers worthy of educating the present and future generations. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, were also present at the swearing-in.