Frustration boils over at Bethel Primary

WESTERN BUREAU:

Auxiliary staff at Bethel Primary School in Hopewell, Hanover, are again expressing frustration with their pay, claiming they have been enduring inaccurate calculations, including lack of payment for overtime or allowances. At least one worker reportedly walked off the job last Friday, citing the disrespect by the Ministry of Education.

“I cannot take it any longer,” said the frustrated man as he bade farewell to his colleagues, who, like him, have gone through various channel to highlight their plight without having any resolution.

The Gleaner was informed by other auxiliary staff members that the Ministry of Education took over the fortnightly payment of salaries at that school in April 2024, and shortly thereafter, they began having issues.

“We have complained to everyone possible – from school to regional office to the ministry. We even made a trip to Kingston to the ministry on one occasion, but still, to date, nothing has been done to solve the problems we are having,” a staffer told The Gleaner.

Among the concerns, the workers said, are that they are not being issued with pay advice slips, not being paid or overtime worked, and not receiving allowances. They also claim they are experiencing inaccurate fortnightly payments and that the statutory and other payments drawn from their salaries are not being properly accounted for.

The complaints of the workmen were first brought to public attention by The Gleaner in June 2025, following which, the disgruntled workers claim that an attempt was made from the Ministry of Education to solve the problem.

“There was a mad rush to help us following the Gleaner report, but within two months, everything went back to square one, when we again stopped getting any pay advice,” said one worker.

“As recently as the last fortnight, we received some additional money, which none of us can account for, as we have received no pay advice slip to tell us what it is for,” he added.

Principal Henrietta Clayton also expressed frustration when contacted by The Gleaner. She said her efforts to have the matter addressed at the Ministry of Education’s Regional 4 office in Montego Bay and at the head office in Kingston have yielded no results.

The Gleaner understands that the school board had recently decided to write to Permanent Secretary Dr Kasan Troupe to seek her personal intervention.

While other staff members say they do not wish to join their colleague and walk away from their jobs, they called for better treatment from the Ministry of Education.

“We are all frustrated, demotivated and stressed, as we cannot plan our lives properly, even after putting our best foot forward in doing the work assigned to us daily. It is as if we are not recognised, and the people at the ministry wants us to leave the work,” said one employee.

editorial@gleanerjm.com