A protracted negotiation between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education concluded successfully on Wednesday, culminating in an agreement that will increase teachers’ salaries and provide other benefits.
However, the achievement has been overshadowed by comments from the political opposition which Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo believes exposes the deep-seated attempts to undermine the agreement’s finalisation.
The agreement outlines a 27% salary increase for teachers over the next three years. Specifically, teachers will receive a 10% increase in 2024, an 8% increase in 2025, and a 9% increase in 2026.
The salary increase will add to other benefits for teachers.
The agreement was formalised by GTU President Mark Lyte and the union’s second Vice President Julian Cambridge, alongside the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Shannielle Hoosein-Outar and Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain.
Jagdeo told reporters on Thursday that opposition parties attempted to sabotage the agreement and accused GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald of working to disrupt the signing and undermine the credibility of those who supported it.
He pointed to recent statements from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), the Alliance for Change (AFC), and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) as confirmation of this effort.
The opposition parties have criticised the agreement as an “insult” to teachers. In response, Jagdeo highlighted that the PNC-led government, when in office in 2015, had failed to deliver on promises of significant salary increases.
He noted that during the APNU+AFC administration from 2016 to 2020, the highest increase offered was 10%, which he argues was insufficient given the circumstances.
Jagdeo detailed the financial implications of the new agreement, noting that in 2015, the total wage bill for teachers was $14.9 billion, with a 10% increase costing around $1.5 billion.
Now, the wage bill has escalated to $40 billion annually due to larger teaching staff with higher salaries. Under the new agreement, the PPP/C government will need to allocate $4 billion in salary increments.
Jagdeo further stated that the real insult was the minimal 10% increase offered in 2015 and emphasised that the current agreement, which received approval from the GTU general council, represents a significant improvement.
Jagdeo accused those opposing the agreement of having political motives rather than genuine concerns for teachers’ welfare.
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