Education ministry to retain specialist to determine percentage increase for teachers

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBnnGZJ_hxg” width=”100%” height=”350″]

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry said the government will retain a specialist to determine the percentage increase per category of teachers

The ministry took the decision during a meeting on Thursday, August 9, between a delegation headed by Minister Henry and representatives of the Guyana Teacher’s Union to discuss proposals by the union for a multi-year agreement with the government on salaries and conditions of service for teachers.

According to a release, while there are some difficulties honouring all the requests put forward by the Teachers Union, Minister Henry implored representatives to be responsible enough to ensure that as many as possible the benefits from the new approach should be carefully considered and accepted.

It was agreed too that both teams would carefully consider what was discussed at the meeting and agree to an early date for further discussions.

The ministry said it listened to the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and expressed hope that the union equally pays close attention to the counterproposal offered.

The GTU had proposed an across-the-board increase in salary of forty per cent (40%) for 2016, forty-five per cent in (2017), fifty per cent (50%) in 2018, fifty per cent (50%) in 2019 and fifty per cent (50%) in 2020 be granted to all categories of teachers/teacher educators for the years 2016-2020.

The counterproposal by the ministry stated that the government will make available a ballpark figure to facilitate an increase in salaries for all teachers based on the current salary scale.

A specialist will have to be contracted to work with the GTU (if agreed) to determine the percentage of increase per category.

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally who was also present at the meeting said that while the GTU’s demands are not unreasonable, consideration should be given to the economic status of the government.

The minister noted that this is not the end, but rather a continuous process, in which both parties should be planning and preparing for better times.

The High-level Committee consisting of government officials and representatives of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) was appointed to discuss the proposals by the union for a multi-year agreement with the government in relation to salaries and conditions of service for teachers.

The full release by the Ministry of Education can be viewed at: https://dpi.gov.gy/education-ministry-gtu-meet-to-discuss-teachers-multi-year-agreement/

By: Alexis Rodney

Image: Ministry of Education