The Government of Guyana has allocated the sum of $5M to the Guyana Teachers Union to assist teachers who fall on difficult times, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said today.

During the Consideration of Budget estimates before the Committee of Supply, the Education Minister said the allocation forms part of Government’s effort to assist teachers through various mechanisms.

The $5M which was approved as part of the 2024 budgetary allocations for the Ministry, has not been increased over the last three years, despite the number of new teachers that were added to the system

“So, when teachers fall in hardship, the government helps through the union by this subvention. So, I would invite teachers to visit their union for that help,” the Education Minister told the Committee of Supply.

Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, said the allocation should have been much more. He said consideration should have been given to increasing the subvention to the GTU, because of the work that the union does for teachers right across the country.

But in response, the Education Minister noted that other assistance is given to teachers, but not through the GTU.

“This is not the only place that we provide for teachers’ welfare. In fact, a significant portion of teachers have asked us not to attach their welfare to the Guyana Teacher’s Union, because they are either not members or the benefits that they ger are sporadic, absent or bias,” Ms. Manickchand said in justifying the allocation.

The Education Minister told the Parliamentary Committee that most of the nation’s teachers may not be members of the GTU and therefore, the Government cannot pour resources into the union that will not reach thousands of teachers.

“So, this $5M is not the only thing we give to teachers in fact, the Chief Education Officer published a letter detailing 28 actions taken over the last two years that are aimed specifically at improving the welfare of teachers. The teaching service in Guyana is over 13,000 teachers, the Union does not enjoy the membership of over 13,000 persons and at their last election had under 4,000 persons voting and present. So, it may indicate to you why it is not a sensible plan to invest all that we have for teachers in one body,” the Education Minister explained.

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