GTU, Education Ministry at odds over scholarships

Jun 16, 2016 News

The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is hoping to grow its membership with the support of Government. However, Government through the Ministry of Education does not seem to be willing to embrace this tactic proposed by the union.

GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald

The Union is currently in negotiations with the Ministry for a remuneration package for teachers. However among the non-financial aspects of a proposal the union has brought to the table is that of scholarships for the teachers its represents.
According to GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald, the Union in its proposal has asked for 50 scholarships for its teachers. The scholarships once approved would be awarded to deserving teachers who are members of the Union.
But Ministry officials are not in agreement. “They said that Government’s position is that since they are giving the scholarships it should be for all teachers. But we are saying maybe they can add 20 more to the 50 we are asking for and that will be open to any teacher,” McDonald asserted.
Although a recent session of the negotiations saw the two sides agreeing on the majority of the non-financial aspects of the proposal, McDonald confided that “the University scholarship still needs a little bit more tweaking. They are saying to us that we should make this scholarship open to any teacher, and we are saying this is the Union bargaining for its members. We cannot give everything to the teachers without them being a member. They want it to be open but we have said no.
The Union is asking in its proposal for 50 scholarships per year tenable at the University of Guyana. Teachers, the Union has proposed, should be granted the scholarships from the academic year 2016.
In its proposal, the Union made it clear that while Government will be required to sponsor the scholarships, they must be awarded to financial members of the GTU for a period no less than three years. The GTU made it clear in its proposal, too, that it must select the teachers for the available scholarships.
It is for this reason McDonald asserted that it is not the desire of the Union for the scholarships to be readily available to all teachers. “When certain things are being withheld from them it will force them to become members of the Union,” said the GTU General Secretary.
The GTU currently has 7,000-odd members across 49 branches.
Part of its non-financial proposal is that all Central Executive Officers of the Union be released to perform Union duties every Wednesday and from time to time as the need arises with the knowledge of both parties. Also, the Union is asking that the President and General Secretary, both teachers, be released, with pay, on a full-time basis to serve the membership of GTU.
And that all General Council Representatives be released from time to time to attend teachers’ matters within their respective Branches with the knowledge of both parties.
Also the GTU is proposing that an extra unit (teacher) be placed at schools where Central Executive Members of the Union are attached.
And in light of the fact that the Union and the Ministry have not been meeting as often as possible, the Union has requested that the two sides meet statutorily at least once per month for Professional Development Sessions at a time agreed upon.
However, it has been proposed that other emergency meetings be called either by the Ministry of Education or GTU.
But the main aspect of the proposal that teachers are eagerly waiting to realise is that of wages and salaries increase. The Union has proposed an across-the-board increase in salary of 40 per cent for 2016, 45 per cent in 2017, 50 per cent in 2018, 50 per cent in 2019 and 50 per cent in 2020 for all categories of teachers.