THE EDITOR: In his letter in the August 10 Newsday, Harry Partap heaped praises on PM Rowley and in his fourth paragraph stated, "He kept public sector workers, including teachers, on the payroll even while they were at home."

I would like to inform Partap that Rowley had to keep the teachers on the payroll because even though they were home, they were working and working very hard and long hours that disrupted family routine and increased stress levels.

Partap needs to be reminded that while at home, teachers were engaged in teaching online classes and preparing for each and every one of those classes, which would be more than once per day.

Teaching online was a new experience for teachers, which they took in their stride and bravely faced the difficult challenges involved. (It is also a new experience for students and children who could not afford laptops because Partap's PNM took them away). Teachers were not home doing nothing or relaxing all day, as Partap seems to imply while Rowley continued to pay them their salaries.

Teachers were up long and late hours preparing their lessons, very often loosing much needed sleep. Going to bed at 3 am and waking at 5 am became the norm, Partap. Family life was heavily affected as many teachers have children and babies and spouses.

Partap is entitled to his opinions and to express them and it is his right to ignore the numerous wrongdoings of Rowley. But he should respect teachers and stop giving the impression that they were on holidays and Rowley still paid them out of the kindness of his heart.

In conclusion, the only thing that teachers benefitted from by being at home is they did not have to drive and/or travel to work on our potholed, crater-filled roads and face the horrendous traffic jams.

SEXTON BLAKE

Point Fortin

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