GTU aims at 25% salary increase for public school teachers
Prepared to resume negotiations with government for a new multiyear salary package for public school teachers, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Wednesday submitted its proposal to the Ministry of Education.
This development was confirmed by President of the Union, Mr. Mark Lyte, who said that the union is looking to start the negotiation process at 25 percent increase for its membership. In its proposal too, the union has detailed, among other things, conditions for the reemployment of retired teachers, the need for grants for schools, incentives for teachers with additional qualifications and those qualified in areas of physical education and special needs education.
“We are proposing adjustment to Whitley Council. We have clothing allowances, we have houselots for teachers still on the cards and we have other things like class size issues. The class size for spe cial needs schools, we are requesting a smaller number or in cases where the number cannot be smaller, we are recommending a teacher’s aide for the teachers, so at all times there will be two people in class,” Lyte shared. The proposal, ahead of being submitted Wednesday to Ms Adele Clarke, the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, had its content approved by the membership of the union. Lyte noted that although the union had initially planned to submit the proposal much earlier, a decision was taken at the level of its General Council to ensure that its 10,000odd membership from across the country had the opportunity to give their input. “We finally submitted the proposal Wednesday. The Education Ministry will now have to study it,” said Lyte as he expressed hope that the union will be have a feedback on the way forward from the Ministry by the first week of next month.
(Kaieteur News, Photograph: Guyana Chronicle)