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GTU to reengage Education Ministry over ‘glitch’ in teachers’ increase
Government has reportedly been fulfilling its commitment to increase the salaries of public school teachers in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] it inked with the Guyana Teachers Union [GTU], last year.
However, there are some concerns being raised by the Union linked to the percentage increase that teachers received on their salaries this month. Last month, teachers started to receive increases to their salaries.
The agreement is one that allows for public school teachers who work for below $100,000 to receive a 12 percent increase for 2016 and those working for more being eligible for eight percent in the same year.
The agreement also stipulates that the interim payment received by all public servants including teachers in 2016 shall form part of the payment to be received for 2017 while all teachers will benefit from an across the board eight percent increase for 2018.
Given the interim payment in 2016, Lyte noted that only some teachers were eligible for a two percent increase. But although these were indeed afforded a pay hike, Lyte said that the Union had qualms about whether the correct amount was paid out.
“We don’t know that the percentage they [teachers] received is quite accurate because if 2016 increased, 2017 should have triggered an increase as well, so we will have to reengage the Ministry to have that rectified,” said Lyte.
He disclosed plans to take queries in this regard to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ms. Adele Clarke.
Meanwhile, Lyte said that the union is satisfied with the payment of debunching monies to its membership. Based on the agreement, teachers will receive a lump sum of $350 million in debunching monies owed for the period 2011 to 2018.
GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte.
Lyte explained that the plan was to divide the sum among eligible teachers over the eight-year period. The eligible teachers in the system number some 10,500 and, according to the GTU President, “A teacher who has been in the system for the eight-year period will receive a maximum of $36,490.”
Teachers in a number of regions have started to receive their payment and Lyte anticipates that the payment process will be completed before the end of next month.
Some regions have been adopting various formats to make these payments to their teachers. This, Lyte said, has translated to teachers in Georgetown being paid by their individual schools. “What I know is that in Georgetown for instance cheques are being issued to the head teachers who in turn disperse the funds to the teachers in their care,” Lyte shared.
But it hasn’t only been teachers in the system who are eligible for payment as, according to the GTU President, “those who are retired, migrated and so, their monies have been returned to their respective accounting units so those persons can make contact with the accounting units to uplift their monies.”
Additionally, Lyte said that those who have migrated and are living overseas will also be able to receive their payment once a notarised authorisation is sent to the Region(s) they would have taught.
Lyte also revealed, “If persons are retired and they want somebody to pick up their money because they cannot go to the place where it is at, they can authorise someone and send their identification along with the individual. It is a case where everyone will be able to receive their monies once they are entitled to it.”
“We have found also that if a teacher taught at several schools and if they have retired and it goes to the [Education] Department the money will go in one location. But if they taught in multiple regions then the various regions will account for their money in the respective regions,” said Lyte.
The GTU President disclosed that the payment approach in some regions has been even more accommodating with some regions opting to transport the money to each school in order to pay teachers.
Although there have been reports of some challenges, Lyte said that for the most part the process has been satisfactory.
He added, “We anticipate that in the new month all teachers would have received their money. Even people who are deceased I think there is a system in place for their next of kin to collect their money…so persons can enquiry about what systems are in place for them to receive that.”
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