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– In a new multi-year agreement
– The government will continue to work hard to promote a world-class education system
– President Ali said
The Ministry of Education and the Guyana Union of Teachers formally signed a multi-year agreement on Wednesday which the union’s president, Dr. Irfaan Ali, said would significantly increase teachers’ benefits and concessions and provide an advanced welfare package.
The head of state made the remarks in a video statement after the two sides signed the agreement, saying he was happy that the agreement was reached and that it marked the way forward.
“From the outset, I made it clear that we needed to have a conversation, we needed to sit together and work through all the issues. So I am delighted that the union, the union president and his team, the PS, the CEO and his department team were able to successfully reach an agreement that covers 2024, 2025 and 2026,” he said.
In this context, he said the government will continue to work towards revolution, modernization and transformation in the education sector.
This commitment also includes the development of teachers, improving the conditions of service of teachers both from an infrastructural point of view and from a personal development point of view.
To this end, under the agreement, teacher salaries will increase directly by approximately 27% over the next three years.
“Their wages will increase by 10% in 2024, 8% in 2025 and 9% in 2026,” he revealed.
The salary increases for these years were subject to an adjustable clause, and the president said that if an increase in salary increases for civil servants was announced, teachers would receive the difference between the amount agreed and the higher amount.
In addition, Principal Ali also pointed out that “all non-degree teachers, i.e. teachers from TS 1A to TS 5B, regardless of their status, will receive two additional salary increases after three years of continuous service. More than 9,000 teachers can enjoy these benefits, which is more than 60% of the total number of teachers.”
The agreement also increases allowances for faculty members with different degrees: faculty members with doctoral degrees will receive $32,000 per month, while faculty members with master’s degrees will receive $22,000 per month, he said.
Graduate diploma holders receive $7,000 per month, while Certificate in Education and Certificate in Educational Administration holders receive $5,000 per month.
Perks and Rewards
Principal Ali went on to elaborate on the details of the agreement, revealing that teachers’ allowances will increase by 108%. The allowances of principals of “A” schools will increase by 11%, while the allowances of principals of “B” schools will increase by 23%, and the allowances of principals of “C” schools will increase by 39%.
Other teachers in category “A” schools will see their allowances increase by 108 per cent, while those in category “B” schools will see their allowances increase by 59 per cent and those in category “C” schools will see their allowances increase by 85 per cent.
The new multi-year agreement also takes into account stipend increases; as he put it, “Some teachers are getting a 67 percent increase. ‘A’ schools are getting a 19 percent increase, ‘B’ schools are getting a 39 percent increase, and ‘C’ schools are getting a 67 percent increase.”
Clothing allowances have also increased by about 88%.
Meanwhile, on tax exemption benefits, President Ali added that the government has announced a condition that every teacher above a certain level who has three years left before retirement will be eligible for tax exemption benefits.
“So no teacher will leave the teaching profession without obtaining a concession at that level, which I think is senior master, senior mistress; nevertheless, in this agreement we have increased the number of concessions given by 50 percent,” he added.
This way, teachers in inland and riverside areas can enjoy discounts if they need outboard motors and ATVs.
Speaking on other benefits, the Head of State said there has been a 100 per cent increase in scholarships available to teachers each year, in addition to the scholarships available to teachers under the Guyana Academy of Online Learning (GOAL) programme and in some cases the University of Guyana.
Teachers will also be paid for the first time for marking and monitoring school-based assessments and national mock exams for fifth and sixth grade students.
“Looking at the complete package that we are offering and all the benefits, our teachers will enjoy a benefits package, which is why we say this is not just a pay raise, but a benefits package that will greatly improve not only their wages, but also the overall benefits that they will receive,” said Principal Ali.
He went on to add that the government was pleased to have reached an agreement and said that now was the time to focus on children and all other plans to transform the country’s education system to provide world-class education.
Teachers nationwide launched strike action earlier this year, followed by a mediated negotiation brokered by the Labor Department in May, as talks reached an impasse as the union sought to review its proposed multi-year agreement for the 2019 to 2023 timeframe, while the Education Department’s position was to sign a deal covering the 2024 timeframe and beyond.
The Government of Guyana and the Guyana Trade Union Union subsequently agreed in June for teachers to return to work and began negotiations to finalize a continuing multi-year agreement.
During the negotiations, the government put forward several proposals aimed at providing better welfare benefits for teachers across the country.
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