“How do we survive?”

May 18, 2024 News

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Teachers bemoan meager salaries during panel discussion

Kaieteur News – Teachers on Friday bemoaned the meager salaries they are being paid by the Government of Guyana during a panel discussion hosted by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU).

Teachers across the country are on strike as they demand better salaries and allowances from the government.

Many questioned, “How do we survive?”

Panelist and teacher Mehalai McAlmont in her presentation said that, “As a woman we make it work. Personal care goes under the carpet because other bills are superior. I prioritize having my bills paid and then go into depression because my salary is finished.”

Explaining that after her expenses are taken care of she has to resort to providing extra lessons to students to cover the other expenses she has.

“I do extra lessons because I have to survive. Certain things should not be luxury but a necessity. We then have to ensure that we find monies elsewhere that is not in our salaries to fulfill this,” McAlmont said.

Another panelist, Fenton Williams spoke about the cost of living in the hinterland and how teachers are facing a daily struggle to show up and take care of their families with the high prices for items in the shops.

“I was asked to speak on how teachers’ salary affects hinterland teachers. In layman terms I can say how do we survive? How do hinterland teachers survive on such a meager salary that we receive from our government?”

Williams said, “My dear brothers and sisters, as a hinterland teacher, as my colleague would have echoed earlier a lot of budgeting has to be done. With regards to the cost of living in the hinterland regions of Guyana it’s very, very expensive. Only this morning I was speaking to a few colleagues from Region One. For example, a pound of beef in Region One costs not less than a $1000, and I think a pound of potatoes in Region One costs not less than $200-$300. So we can clearly see that the cost of living for groceries and other home amenities that we usually use is very expensive.”

The teacher explained that in his area, getting a two liter soda, costs “almost $700-$800″.

“So I can just imagine the strain that my colleagues in the far flung areas, let’s say Regions Nine, Eight, Seven, those are far away…far flung areas than where I live. What are my colleagues going through? How are they surviving on this salary when it comes to catering and supplying their needs? The cost of living is exorbitant in these hinterland areas,” Williams said

Similarly, Raywattie Persaud, a mother of two boys told the panel and viewers that as a mother it is difficult to maneuver her monthly expenses with her net salary.

“As a mother of two boys ages 15+ and just 7 months old it’s an honor to share with you how my salary influences my monthly expenditures and the challenges it creates. I am currently in the second phase of completing my bachelors degree thus my gross salary is $169,000 and my net salary is $142,000 after deductions such as insurance and taxes.”

Ideally Persaud said she would love for her net salary to adequately take care of her expenses.

“However we all know that this is not a realistic approach. Making a very detailed budget is a part of our daily life and my net salary encompasses the expenditure of myself and my two sons. Other than typical icing expenses such as electricity, water, food and internet,” she said.

The teacher noted too that, “Parts of my budget include line items such as daily school transportation costs for my eldest son which varied from $4000-$6000 monthly. His after school lessons which is about $6000 monthly. My youngest son who is just seven months old uses at least two packs of pampers, which is about $7000 a month along with two large boxes of Enfamil, that’s about $18000-$19000 monthly.”

Other panelists shared the same sentiments.

It is important to note that the teachers are currently taking part in their second strike for this year and better salaries is the main driver for their industrial action. This publication recently reported that discussions between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) ended in a stalemate and with the GTU assuring that it will remain on strike if the ministry refuses to place a tangible solution on the table.

The nationwide strike resumed on Monday following the inability of the two sides to come to an amicable solution. However, both sides met to discuss the terms of resumption but have since been unable to agree.

The GTU has been calling on the government to hike teachers’ salaries and have since put a multi-year agreement 2019-2023 to the government for consideration. The government has since refused to accept the proposal, noting that it is only prepared to engage the Union on salary matters from 2024 onwards. This resulted in the Union utilising industrial action.

Additionally, on Wednesday the GTU revealed that it requested from the government an interim 20 percent across-the-board pay increase for teachers before it ends the strike and teachers resume their duties in the classroom. However the Ministry of Education has deemed the Unions request as unreasonable. Talks are set to continue on Monday.

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• bemoan, GTU, meager, salaries, strike

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