What are the qualifications for appointment as a mathematics teacher in SVG?

Tue, Feb 21, 2012

Editor: I wish to bring to the attention of your readers an issue which needs to be high lighted and answered objectively.{{more}}

Two months ago, I saw an advertisement in the weekend newspapers requesting suitably qualified persons in Mathematics, English and the Sciences to apply for graduate positions in the secondary school system. The basic academic requirement was a first degree in the subject area and 5 years teaching experience. The closing date for applications to be sent to the Service Commissions Department was December 16, 2011. I submitted an application by hand at the Service Commissions Department nearly two weeks before the closing date and awaited the outcome.

I received no official response of any kind, so I went in person earlier this month and inquired at the Service Commissions Department about the outcome of my application. I was told that my application was unsuccessful.

Immediately a number of questions flooded my mind.

What are the qualifications for appointment as a mathematics teacher in SVG?

Applicants were required to have a first degree in Mathematics and I am the holder of a BSc degree in Math (first class honours) and an M Phil degree( Mathematics/Statistics).

Applicants were required to have 5 years of teaching experience and I have 31(thirty-one) years of teaching experience at the secondary, College and UWI levels.

I guess that I was unsuccessful because I was over-qualified for the job, or perhaps all the applicants had doctorate (Phd) in Mathematics, hence I was the least qualified among the applicants.

Or was it that academic qualification was not the only criterion used in the selection process?

I wish that in the name of reconciliation and good governance, I could be told why I can’t be employed as a graduate teacher in the country of my birth. I had reapplied for a post of graduate Math teacher since December 14, 2010 and was told repeatedly that there is no vacancy. Now that there were vacancies and I applied for consideration in such a critical area as Mathematics, I am being embarrassed. All that I can say is that I believe in a God that is bigger than any obstacle that I may face in this life. He will solve the equation in his time.

Elvis Daniel