“Teachers are in shock”

The government has finally carried out the financial part of the revaluation program in full. “Teachers are in shock,” said Wilgo Valies, chairman of the Teachers’ Association (BvL) and the Alliance for Teachers in Suriname (ALS). Educators are very discontent with the net salary that they have received. The union chairman explained that the gross salary of teachers greatly improved but that teachers hardly receive enough money after deductions due to the tax system. Education, Science and Culture Minister Robert Peneux has already been informed of the dissatisfaction and will reportedly arrange talks between the unions and the government as was promised by the vice president. Valies pointed out that teachers had other expectations and that the dissatisfaction is huge. He explained that a teacher with a gross salary of SRD 5,400 actually receives SRD 3,460 after deductions. The unions made it clear that teachers must receive a salary which will enable them to live a humane existence and which will no longer make it necessary for them to hustle. Valies pointed out that the unions and the government must resume talks in order to find an actual solution for the big problems that teachers face every day. “It is important for parties to find an acceptable solution especially in this phase so that teachers can be kept motivated.” The unions have summoned their shop stewards to a meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Valies hopes that the talks with the government will be resumed soon.