The issues facing lecturers, staff, and students at Dominica State College remain unresolved despite industrial action taken in May 2021 and agreements reached to address them.
The key concerns include:
● Salary Adjustments
● Graduate lecturers at the State College earn less than graduate teachers at
secondary schools.
● There has been no salary adjustment to account for inflation or to show a
differential between tertiary and secondary school educators.
● Working Conditions - The automobile and mechanical engineer facilities remain in
shambles.
● The campus has multiple leaking roofs.
● Bathrooms are in poor and unsanitary condition. - There are no dedicated
washrooms for lecturers and staff on the lower campus, forcing them to share
facilities with students. This has led to privacy concerns, including unlocked doors
and student intrusions.
● Appointments - The position of College President remains unfilled. The current
Officer-in-Charge is now serving a third six-month term without a clearly defined
role. A permanent appointment must be made, or the position should be opened for
applications.
● Many lecturers have served for over 16 years without being formally appointed.
Despite discussions with the board and negotiations with the unions which agreed-upon solutions, none of these solutions have been fully implemented. Deadlines have been missed and commitments remain unfulfilled.
As Lecturers and people of higher education, this situation is unacceptable. The Staff feel abandoned, and students are suffering as a result. It is time for decisive action to ensure that these long-standing issues are finally addressed.
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