‘Live and feed your families on a basic teacher’s salary’

Feb 07, 2024 News

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— Essequibo teachers challenge Manickchand, other govt officials

By Renay Sambach

As the nationwide strike action by teachers continues, teachers of Region Two stepped up their agitation on Tuesday challenging Education Minister Priya Manickchand and other government officials to try providing for their families with the lowly teachers’ pay.

The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has since warned that the ongoing strike action will be prolonged if their concerns continue to be ignored by the President Irfaan Ali-administration. The strike which commenced on Monday was marked by nationwide protest action with hundreds of teachers, GTU representatives, parents and other civil society members assembling outside their respective Regional Education Offices with placards, calling on the Government to engage the Union in the process of Collective Bargaining towards achieving better salaries and working conditions for teachers.

Day Two witnessed a powerful display of solidarity and determination, with teachers converging in large numbers to voice their grievances. During a Facebook live session documenting the second day of the strike in Region Two- a stronghold of the ruling PPP/C, Sir Martin Samaroo, a prominent voice among the striking educators, delivered impassioned remarks directed towards the government’s handling of their demands. “So, in the Oil Republic of Guyana, you’re saying, in a trillion-dollar budget, all that you can give teachers is 6.5%, which is, in fact, about 18% less than the inflation rate. That’s being very generous. Is that what you’re saying to us, Minister, Honourable Minister (Minister of Education Priya Manickchand), is that what you’re saying,” he asked.

“If the minister could take my salary for I don’t even want to say six months or a year. Let’s just say for two months, just two months…and if you can survive on that with your family, then I’ll stop the strike action.”

Expressing frustration over the financial struggles faced by educators, Sir Samaroo highlighted the necessity of a livable wage, emphasizing the inability of current salaries to meet basic needs. “I respect the minister, the honourable minister, for a number of things that she would have done for the education sector. However, when it comes to what goes into our pockets, minister, you have no clue. You have no clue as to the struggle that we face. You have no idea why so many teachers have to be doing so many businesses, and doing so many other different things just to make ends meet and provide a comfortable life for their families,” the teacher added. Responding to pleas that they should continue teaching out of love, Samaroo said: “I can’t take love to the supermarket.”

Sir Samaroo stated, “You want to know why there aren’t many men in this profession? Because men know that they can’t take care of a family on this salary.” He shared that in order to provide for his family, knowing he cannot depend on his teacher salary, he had to take up other part time jobs. “Which means I get to spend less time with my family,” he added.

Moreover, the teacher stated that the Ministry of Education is trying to “strong arm” the teachers to stop the strike action. “What is already small you are going to cut that so we can’t buy ration for our families,” he added. It was explained that 10 days pay will be deducted from the teachers’ salary who are on strike. “I have a family now to take care of and I’m fighting for them. I’m saying personally for me, I might make it, I might be making it because of my side business but I’m saying that there are many single mothers, teachers who cannot come out of their schools because their salaries will be cut. They cannot afford to buy an ice cream at the end of the month for their children and you want to cut their salaries, Minister. That’s how you care… If you cared we wouldn’t be out here…” the teacher added.

No political

Moreover, as the live video interactions grew, responding to questions, Sir Samaroo explained, “This is not political I’ll keep saying that over and over again.” He clarified that teachers standing up to be rightfully compensated does not have anything to do with politics. “I’m saying to you that it is not enough, 6.5 % is not enough. It can never be enough. In the oil republic of Guyana, you’re saying you don’t have money to pay teachers, who you fooling, we’re all educators. We’re smart people. You could bail out GuySuCo (Guyana Sugar Corporation) every year, a failing industry and I understand that you may want to take care of the persons who work there, but what about teachers? What about teachers?” the teacher questioned.

Also, he shared that even though the teachers are on strike, resources were sent to the school for teachers who are in the classrooms to teach the classes in their absence. “So, don’t feel as if teachers dropping everything and we’re not leaving systems in place. We love your children. I’m telling you, 13 years I’ve been in this profession and I could not see my way, I could not save until I opened my own business,” the Sir Samaroo added.

Notably, during the strike action yesterday the teachers of Region Two challenged Minister Manickchand and other officials, to take care of their families on a basic teacher salary. “If the minister could take my salary for I don’t even want to say six months or a year. Let’s just say for two months, just two months…and if you can survive on that with your family, then I’ll stop the strike action,” the teachers said.

Teachers denounce Manickchand

Joining the chorus of discontent, another teacher addressed as Mr. Hinds denounced attempts by the Ministry to undermine the strike action, asserting the teachers’ unwavering resolve until their demands are met. “We will not stop there until they deal with us properly…” Sir Hinds said. He condemned proposed deductions from teachers’ salaries and emphasized the broader implications for educators striving to support their families.

A teacher addressed as an executive of GTU said the intimidation antics by the education ministry will not deter them. He said, “We saw a document, and this document stipulates clearly that the union dues which we are paying to sustain and maintain our union, which is $700, the mere $700, the ministry decides that they will not deduct that money on behalf of the union. So, that is one move.

Now, how we deem that move. That move is a move to cripple the Guyana Teachers Union. Which is the longest formed union in this country…and so, what will happen? I know and I believe that the GTU is of God, and anything that is of God will not crumble. So, our $700, we will make arrangements for it to get to the union in a different way.” The teacher added that he is certain, if teachers like himself are adequately compensated, the Union would be able to receive a $1000 monthly fee from teachers.

Additionally, a man identified as Brother Bristol, who is also said to be a teacher, in his address said it’s time for teachers to be paid a livable wage. He said, “The issue is the financial issue that they are running from. They are not talking anything about the financial issue. We all know once we are satisfied financially, we can continue to perform. That’s right. If you look at how we operate, we don’t have enough, but we make something out of everything that we have.”

Brother Bristol said too, “But it’s time for us to ask for what we deserve. It’s time we start looking at collecting little things to make the big things. So the Ministry need to come forward, sit down. If they cannot meet what we demand, they can say something.”

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• GTU, Priya Manickchand, strike, teachers, wage

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