Jan 18 - Senior Leadership Teams Reject GTA Statements On Lack Of Consultation - Notre Dame Management Leaves Union
The Senior Leadership Teams at Westside Comprehensive, Governor’s Meadow, Bishop Fitzgerald, St Martin’s and Bayside Comprehensive Schools have said that they do not subscribe to the statements made by the Gibraltar Teachers Association (GTA) in their press release yesterday.
The GTA representative, Mr Victor Gonzalez, said that “None of the staff at Westside, Governor’s Meadow, Bishop Fitzgerald and St Martin’s schools are happy with the plans as they currently stand,” “...none of the staff are happy with the plans right now,” and “ 99% of our members were not happy and they felt they are not being consulted.”
The Senior Leadership Teams of these schools have said that they believe that these quotes are misleading adding that the process of consultation with the Department of Education (DoE) is “well under way.”
In a statement sent to the press this afternoon, Senior Leadership Team members say that, to date, their schools, depending on the planning stage of each one, have had a number of meetings with the DoE, including the Minister of Education, and have been promised ongoing consultation throughout the different stages of the planning process.
A statement ended: “The GTA has misrepresented us in these statements and has not had the courtesy to consult the Senior Leadership Teams of these schools before going to press, in order to inform themselves of the stages each school is currently at. This is a very important time for the future of teaching and learning in our schools. As educators we eagerly look forward to this new chapter in the history of education in Gibraltar where trust, partnership, teamwork and open dialogue will work positively for all our present and future pupils.”
NOTRE DAME
In a further development, the management at Notre Dame First School (Mrs J. Mason and Mrs P. Cruz) has taken the decision to leave the Gibraltar Teachers Association and seek representation elsewhere due to recent press releases from the union.
A statement expanded on their decision: “We feel that recent press releases have been unfounded since they are not a true representation of the sentiment of teachers and take umbrage at our school being mentioned as having been consulted on classroom temperature when no GTA representative has officially approached us.
“Mostly we are saddened and have lost trust in a leadership that has not been seen to comment on all the hard work and endeavours of our most professional staff both in our school and at the Department of Education who are working tirelessly to ensure the delivery of quality teaching and learning be it in a building full of history and tradition or our eagerly anticipated 21st Century school.
“We both feel that the GTA should be concentrating on publicly celebrating members’ and children’s success and hard work as well as forming a positive integral part of the consultation process in all areas of education during these exciting times when we look forward to co-education, the realignment of key stages and new nurseries being set up in our new school next year.”
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