NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd announced yesterday that some 300 contract workers in his ministry will become permanent and pensionable by the end of the budget year.
During his presentation to the budget debate, Lloyd acknowledged “vexing concerns” of employees from the delays in confirmations, reclassifications and regularization to permanent and pensionable (PnP) in his ministry.
“We have spent the past four years resolving issues where staff have been in limbo for 20 and even 40 years,” he said.
“We did not pass the buck; rather, have cleaned up the dirty work of politicians who shamelessly circumvented public service hiring protocols for selfish gain.
“They did not care about the public purse; they apparently didn’t care about stringing people along or the emotional and financial toll it had taken on these employees who contributed to the delivery of quality education in The Bahamas. They deserve better and they shall get it.”
There are 636 general service workers, teacher’s aides, security officers, custodial and janitorial staff who will be eligible to transition from contractual and month-to-month terms to permanent and pensionable, provided they maintain acceptable performance attendance records.
Lloyd indicated that to date, 184 recommendations have been submitted to the Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance and it is anticipated that by the end of the 2020/2021 budget year, at least 300 recommendations would be forwarded and the remaining employees will be processed in the next budget year.
He also noted that approximately 110 new trained teachers, assistant teachers, craft instructors, teacher’s aides and guidance counsellors have been appointed and posted to schools throughout the country as the demand for qualified and trained teachers increases. There are approximately 60 additional people to be processed, Lloyd said.
Additionally, everyone who was appointed to act in school administrative posts for one year to test suitability for substantive promotion in the 2018 exercise have been recommended for substantive promotion, and anyone appointed within the 2019 exercise is currently being processed.
He said overall, the 2020/2021 budget year also saw a total of 412 recommendations submitted to the Ministry of Public Service for advancement.
Lloyd further advised that 268 trained teachers, 25 guidance counsellors, 54 security assistants/officers and 65 janitorial staff members who have been waiting have received their confirmations.
Recommendations are also being considered for the advancement and career path of guidance counsellors and security officers.
After review of the career path of guidance counsellors and security officers, the education minister said it is anticipated that appropriate recommendations for the advancement of suitably qualified officers will commence in the 2021/2022 budget year.
Lloyd also indicated that a Cabinet sub-committee was appointed to consider the regularization of school board and library employees because there are many people working within the school system, many for a number of years, who would retire without benefits.
“It was agreed that these persons should be regularized, a process that’s now underway,” he assured.
“As such, provisions have been allocated in the ministry’s 2021/2022 budget for this exercise.”
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