Teachers’ salary increase gaining attention of high level committee

Mar 17, 2019 News

On Wednesday, the Guyana Teachers Union [GTU] was for the first time this year engaged by the government-appointed high-level committee tasked with addressing a proposal for a pay increase package for public school teachers.
The proposal was earlier this year presented to the Ministry of Education by the teachers’ union.
Although reports had suggested that the meeting was slated for the Ministry of Education’s Brickdam, Georgetown office, a location at Waterloo Street was the chosen venue.
While officials did not respond to questions on the meeting, a joint statement issued by the Education Ministry was dispatched to the media on Thursday.
According to the statement, “The Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union [GTU] have commenced the negotiation process for the Union’s proposal on Terms and Conditions for Teachers for the period 2019 to 2023 on March 13, 2019.”
It was revealed that the meeting was chaired by Ms. Adele Clarke, Permanent Secretary [ag], of the Ministry of Education and it is considered an introductory meeting where discussions were held on how the process will move forward.
Both parties, it was noted, were required to submit additional information within specified time lines which will aid the negotiation process. The process is being negotiated by a high level committee which was appointed for just this purpose.
Those representing the Ministry/government side are Ms. Adele Clarke, Permanent Secretary (ag), MOE; Mr. Marcel Hutson, Chief Education Officer, MOE; Ms. Jacqueline Simon, Human Resource Manager, MOE; Mr. Jason Fraser, Ministerial Planner, Ministry of the Presidency; Ms. Gail Williams, Senior Personnel Officer, Department of the Public Service; Ms. Sonya Roopnauth, Director of Budget, Ministry of Finance and Mr. Jaigobin Jaisingh, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communities.
The GTU team is represented by Mr. Mark Lyte, President, Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU); Ms. Coretta Mc Donald, A.A General Secretary, GTU; Ms. Sumanta Alleyne, Treasurer, GTU;
Ms. Lesmeine Collins, First Vice President, GTU; Mr. Julian Cambridge, Second Vice President, GTU; Ms. Donnette D’Andrade, Regional Vice President, Berbice, GTU; Ms. Carmel Williams, Regional Vice President, Essequibo, GTU; Mr. Collis Nicholson, Regional Vice President, Demerara, GTU; and Mr. Lancelot Baptiste, Field/Administrative Secretary, A.A., GTU.
Another meeting is slated for April 19, 2019.
In its proposal, the union is aiming for, among other things, a 25 percent across the board increase for public school teachers. The union is also proposing conditions for the re-employment of retired teachers; the need for grants for schools, which are often subjected to inadequate stock; incentive for teachers with additional qualifications and those qualified in areas of physical education and special needs education.
“Some of the things we have fine-tuned. We still have things like duty-free concessions, continuation of the Whitley Council [leave]…we are proposing adjustment to Whitley Council; we have clothing allowances; we have house-lots for teachers still on the cards and we do have other things like class size issues.
The class size for special needs schools, we are requesting a smaller number or in cases where the number cannot be smaller, we are recommending a teacher’s aide for the teachers so at all times, there will be two persons to the class,” said GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte shared.

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