Two weeks after reaching an agreement on increased salaries and benefits for the nation’s teachers, the Education Ministry and the Guyana Teachers Union signed off on the agreement this afternoon.

As stated previously, the agreement will see teachers getting a 12% increase on their salaries for 2016 and an 8% increase for 2018. They had already received an 8% increase for 2017.

The agreement also covers several benefits.

One hundred duty free concessions for vehicles will be made available for qualifying headteachers, deputy headteachers and senior mistresses and masters along with heads of department.

For the headteachers and deputies, they will have to have three years remaining on their appointment while for the others, they would have to be serving in the position for six years.

The agreement will also see teachers who have to serve in the hinterland region being provided with air transportation costs in and out of the regions every term.

Clothing allowances will remain at $8000 per annum, but increases will be considered in line with other increases for the wider public service.

Scholarships will also be made available annually to thirty teachers.

Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hudson welcomed the agreement and explained that it is the result of the two sides meeting at the table and coming up with cohesive agreements that moved the process forward.

He said the Education Ministry looks forward to developing its relationship with the Guyana Teachers Union and working closer with the union to ensure more improvements could be realized for the nation’s teachers.

GTU President Mark Lyte, said although the union did not get all that it was hoping for, it is still pleased with the agreement and looks forward to the negotiations for next year.

Back in September, teachers stayed out of the classrooms during strike action that forced the two sides to several meetings that culminated when the arbitration process was set to begin.

President Granger intervened in the matter and got the two sides back to the negotiating table when it appeared as though the process was falling a part.

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