The Federation of Organizations of Teachers in Suriname (FOLS) president, Marcelino Nerkust, said that the FOLS had released a model of action in relation to the current circumstance and the planned demonstration. This course of action involved more than simply one step. Nerkust claims that several factors came into play, leading to the declaration of a model to the employer as a union.
The board of the FOLS has been under considerable pressure for a while now, pressure that is partially attributable to the country’s current situation, which puts a lot of strain on society. Nerkust claimed that the situation is affecting education, with both teachers and students noticing it quite a bit. Some pupils are now even unable to consume a sandwich at school. The current system is extremely demotivating for teachers as well. As a result, the FOLS board suggested to its members last week that they skip work on Thursday and Friday.
Nerkust claims that on February 14th, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture (MinOWC) formally announcing the plan to use this action model. “The ministry has never responded to the FOLS over this. At least 95% of the campaigns that were run were successful, according to Nerkust. Nerkust highlighted that the FOLS’s preferred course of action was to “remain at home,” but it is clear that the board cannot stop anyone from taking part in the most recent demonstration. Nerkust vehemently objects to how out of control the demonstration has become.
