The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) recently lamented that it is now three months since the government’s promise to provide salary adjustments for its professionals. This was confirmed with General Secretary of the GTU Coretta McDonald who told Guyana Standard that the union is still waiting to have dialogue with the administration on this matter.
Back in December, President Irfaan Ali during a press conference said that while other sectors received their salary adjustments, including the health sector and the joint services, he posited that an increase for teachers would come at an “appropriate time” this year.
While he did not provide an expected time frame, he posited that teachers are an important asset to Guyana and assured them that other outstanding benefits will be given to them in due time.
But, according to the General Secretary, the union has on several occasions written to the administration and the Ministry of Education to have dialogue before the administration makes a decision on salary adjustments for teachers.
She noted that those requests have not received correspondence and as such, the union is now of the opinion that the administration has no intention of making good on its promises to adjust the salary of the nation’s educators.
“They intend to punish our teachers for whatever reason. It has been months since other sectors received their salary adjustments and we are still sitting and waiting to hear what this administration will give out to teachers. This does not look good on them and they need to address it,” McDonald told this news entity.
The General Secretary noted too that the union is still waiting to have discussions with the administration about other outstanding issues with regard to benefits and allowances for teachers.
“This government has shown a blatant disregard for teachers. And it would leave one to wonder whether it is because the General Secretary is a member of parliament for the Opposition that is why our teachers are being punished. And if that is the case then we are in a sad state,” McDonald said.
Last year, teachers were among several classes of public servants who received an 8% increase on their salaries. The GTU on that occasion posited the the increase is a “slap in the face” to teachers.
