THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION has taken "strong exception" to the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) calling public officers "scabs".

In a statement issued by the ministry yesterday, it was noted that given the "uncertainty" of the situation involving the education officers, some of whom did not report for duty last Friday, the ministry made alternative plans to have the Common Entrance Examination papers delivered to the 22 centres where 3 704 primary school students wrote the exam on Tuesday.

The ministry said it received "numerous offers of assistance" in delivering the exam papers. However, it said that "invigilators, senior education officers and education officers who had not reported ill delivered the papers to the examination centres".

"The ministry is extremely concerned and takes strong exception to the National Union of Public Workers labelling public officers carrying out their duty as 'scabs', a term of insult used to describe persons who refuse to join a strike or who take the place of strikers or who breach the rules of the trade union or group," the statement said.

"This is incomprehensible since, in his letter dated May 15 to the ministry, the general secretary stated that the union at no time indicated that officers had taken industrial action. This is repeated in the May 16 issue of THE NATION.

"The ministry is clear that its responsibility was to ensure that the Common Entrance Examination was not disrupted, thereby bringing further anxiety to the children and their parents. It expects its officers to undertake duties assigned to them without having to bear the brunt of insults from the union to which many of them belong.

"The ministry also does not understand how the union can state that officers are not to undertake legitimate tasks including those which may be associated with the Common Entrance Examination. The ministry also expects that all officers will perform their assigned duties in a professional and efficient manner.

"It should always be borne in mind that all education officers are emissaries who act in the name of the Chief Education Officer," it added.

It was also noted that on May 9, NUPW general secretary Dennis Clarke called the Chief Education Officer's office and asked if she was aware that
the officers were on "sick out". She spoke to him around 5 p.m. that same day, the statement read.

"The Chief Education Officer stated that she had no formal notification of the situation. Mr. Clarke pointed out that he was aware that the Common Entrance Examination would be held on Tuesday, May 13th, following the bank holiday.

"He therefore advised that the ministry should have a contingency plan since he could not confirm what would happen," the statement said. (DS/PR)