Government was on Friday officially informed that teachers are considering to strike at the new school year draws near since the dispute into the arrangements for an increase in teachers’ salaries continues.
This is according to President of the Guyana Teacher’s Union, Mark Lyte.
Moreover, on the heels of the Coalition Administration asserting that the GTU, in their proposal recommended that the Education Ministry hire a specialist to ascertain the correct amount each category of teacher should be made, Lyte refuted these claims.
“That is the ministry writing their own thing because we didn’t agree to that and logics will say we can’t agree to a specialist if we don’t agree to what was offered. We rejected the salary offer that was put on the table and the salary offer came with a condition that the government was willing to hire a specialist for us to calculate,” he told media operatives.
Following a recent meeting with the GTU, the Education Minister, Nicolette Henry disclosed that Government was prepared to make a “ball park figure” available, in the sum of $700M to pay salary increases to all teachers based on the current salary scale.
However, the GTU had rejected this, claiming that the amount does not cover retroactive increases as at 2015, as was a campaign promise.
Also present at the meeting was Minister Amna Ally, who requested that the Union take into account the Government’s economic struggles, noting that more funds were not available at this time.
“Some of the things we are asking for we were promised by this government when they were in opposition. They promised us!” Vice President of the GTU, Lesmeine Collins told the media after the –what was described as a- disappointing meeting.
