The ongoing teachers’ strike in Guyana bring back memories of the wide school strike on the Corentyne exactly 47 years ago. Students involved in that strike reminisce about it. It attracted political and national attention (including media) and was addressed by prominent personalities – human rights activists and opposition politicians though it was not a political strike.
Unlike today’s teachers’ strike, the Corentyne strike was not called by the union, and it was not wage but labor and rights related. It was about the unjustified transfer of staff. And unlike now, the students on the Corentyne also struck in solidarity with the staff. Actually, the students struck first followed by the teachers in solidarity in January 1977 in the first week of the new school term. The strike lasted about six weeks.
I was a key planner and organizer of the strike at a mere sixteen years of age and I would say the strike was justified. It shook the Burnham regime as he did not expect the Indian Berbicians would rebel against his regime.
The Corentyne school strike had its roots at the Corentyne (Chandisingh) High School in Rose Hall (Port Mourant) related to an earlier strike of students (boycott of classes) in October 1976. Students formed religious societies (Hindu, Islamic and Christian clubs) and a non-religious Student Society (government) for the first time in the history of the school that was founded around 1938. The administration (led by headmaster JC Chandisingh, his son Rohan, Deputy Headmaster Mr. Deonarine, and others) of the school proceeded to ban the four organizations. I and other student leaders were targeted for victimization for asserting our rights and dignity. The administration tried to divide the student leadership by penalizing some and rewarding others.
I was elected as President of the Hindu Society as well as head of the Student Government. Our main mentors were teachers Chaitram Singh, Mr ‘Jack’ (AK) Jagnandan, and Ms. Poonwassie Narine, among a few others. I was serving as Head Prefect at the time. Rohan Chandisingh was in charge of the Prefects. I was called into the principal’s office and given a lecture from him and son Rohan and Deonarine about the organizations and read a riot act that they were banned and must cease and desist from any further student activities. I was removed as Head Prefect for launching the organizations. Rohan made it clear the organizations would not be allowed to exist. Defying the administration, I called a council of student leaders from the various societies. After intensive discussion, we voted unanimously to call a student strike to demand restoration of our organizations. We penned a letter to the principal bearing my signature and to the Berbice Educational Officer, Mr. Solomon, brother of iconic cricketer Joe Solomon) that unless our clubs were restored, we would strike. Neither the administration nor Mr. Solomon took us seriously and didn’t resolve our grievance. We were threatened with expulsion if we struck. While classes were in session one morning. I led a student walk out. Initially, students were hesitant to follow me fearing expulsion as the administration had threatened. But within a few minutes, most of the students walked out of the compound and held pickets that were quickly prepared. I penned another letter to Mr. Solomon (the BEO) and delivered it at his home urging him to visit the school to address our grievance as we continued picketing exercise from that day; the exercise would last more than a week until a resolution was reached. We staged rallies and protests in the Rose Hall and Port Mourant vicinity to attract attention. The BEO visited the morning after the strike and addressed striking students. He said he would address our grievance only if we returned to classes because he would not act under duress, his word. We did not agree to his term, and the boycott of classes continued. I and two other student leaders visited several schools on the Corentyne including in Far away Manchester and Bush Lot and nearby Comprehensive and Belvedere (Lower Corentyne) . We met students and appealed for their support to stage walk out of their school in solidarity against the violation of our students’ rights at CHS. Students in some schools joined the strike, walking out of their school in solidarity with our request.
As the strike widened, the BEO was under pressure from Georgetown to end it. Eventually the BEO and CHS administration agreed to meet with the student leaders at our school. They agreed to our terms for ending the strike and it was called off with certain agreements: restoration of the clubs and no victimization of students or staff as well as the holding of a Diwali concert. A meeting was held the following day explaining why the strike was called off and the terms of agreement. A concert was held for Diwali. Other groups held celebrations of their festivals. Lo and behold in late December 1976, teachers Singh, Jagnandan, and Narine received letters transferring them from the school. The violation of the agreement irked the students.
On the first day of the new school term, the victimization of teachers was discussed by the Student Club and a decision was taken for a school strike. On the second day of the new school term, I led a walk out that was popularly supported by almost every student demanding that the Ministry of Education restore the three teachers to their original position. The staff also held a meeting on the issue and decided to join the strike, walking off the job. I and other student leaders and some staff members visited several schools on the Corentyne appealing for their support. Parents and community leaders as well as opposition politicians supported us.
Eventually the strike widened to dozens of schools on the Corentyne with students and staff joining in solidarity. Students were threatened with expulsion and staff with dismissal. Protesting students were flogged by police. Salary of staff was withheld and threatened with termination letters. Only Indians partook in the strike; no African students or staff joined in solidarity. But politicians like Walter Rodney and Eusi Kwayana and other rights activists like father Cheerah and Father Malcolm Rodrigues joined the protests in solidarity. father Bernard Darke also came to report on it. The strike lasted about six weeks. Rodney, Singh, Rodrigues and others addressed a large rally in Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant. Fearing the strike would widen to Demerara, the Ministry of Education decided to meet with representatives of the striking teachers and students to address demands Terms were agreed upon to end the strike. There would be no victimization of staff and students and no salary deduction. The victimized teachers would migrate for their safety and to pursue tertiary education.
The current strike is wage and benefits related with little student and parental and community support. It is not as widely supported as the one on the Corentyne. Studies, especially of students who will sit the CXC and Common Entrance, are affected. Ministry of Education and GTU representatives should meet to reach a settlement with the staff to minimize disruption to students’ preparation for exams.