By Svetlana Marshall

Breaking her silence on the ongoing dispute between the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) over a pay package period for teachers, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand today questioned whether it would be “reasonable” to offer salary increases to teachers for the time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Before talks between the Union and the Education Ministry collapsed on Tuesday, the Teachers’ Union, led by its President Mark Lyte, was hoping to make headway on a proposed multi-year agreement, spanning the period 2019-2023.

But Minister Manickchand, while speaking to reporters this morning pointed out that the proposed agreement included the period when schools were forced to close their doors globally because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Union is asking for significant percentage increases for year 2020, year 2021, for year 2022. So, let’s forget the negotiations so far, schools were closed in March of 2020, and opened in April of 2022 because of COVID, because of COVID. Different countries in this world reduced the pay of teachers in their country or stopped it completely because teachers were home. I know my teachers in this country were home and either one concerned or two still trying to deliver education, but this government, the PPP/C government refused to even entertain ducking teachers’ pay; refused to cut it, stop it, reduced it, and we and continue to pay teachers during that period…Do you think it is reasonable to get a 20% increase for year 2020, year 2021 or year 2022 or any increase at all? So, we have those as issues,” Minister Manickchand told reporters. 

Minister Manickchand has been relatively silent on the dispute, which triggered the nationwide strike by teachers that went on for over four weeks and only ended when an agreement was hammered out during a Court ordered mediation process.

Today, Minister Manickchand said it was important not to get into a “dog fight” or to be baited into making irresponsible remarks, and to act in the best interest of the nation’s children. 

While the Union has said that the talks have collapsed”, the Education Minister questioned whether there was really a break-down in talks. According to her, the Union put forward its proposal, and the Education Ministry responded by making its position known. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Education said the 2024 National Budget does not have the fiscal space to accommodate retroactive payment of salary increases for the teachers during the period 2019-2023, and as such, the Union was advised to resubmit a proposal that starts from 2024.

“I don’t know that talks broke down but what I know is that the Union had put forward their proposal for discussion, the Ministry put forward theirs, parties went off and came back and one of the proposals was answered, and the union left and no date was set so far for another meeting”, she said.  

Maintaining a position long held by the Government, Minister Manickchand said since taking Office in August 2020, her Ministry has been engaged with the Union, meeting on average once monthly. The union has said those meetings were about standard policy issues and were not part of any collective bargaining process to examine the salaries of teachers.

The Education Minister said it was unfortunate that after having a good and healthy relationship with the Education Ministry, the Union resorted to strike action, when the two sides were still engaged.

She said the Government through the Education Ministry, has been working to improve the lives of teachers.

“Teachers told us that they had to expend money from their pockets to buy materials for the classroom and supplies, chalk, cardboard, geometry sets, so, they would spend their salaries on those items. We introduced a school grant last year which allows for the purchase of those items, so now, teachers don’t have to use their salary to spend on those items, which means, their salaries get to stay in their pockets, in their wallets. Isn’t that something done for teachers…Where we purchased textbooks and give to each child in the classroom, so teachers no longer have to write boards and boards of notes, the teacher could feel far more accomplish by doing less. Everybody in the class turn to page 33 let’s discuss this…Plus the teacher gets to feel gratified, I am doing what I love and I am doing it effectively. Isn’t that something for teachers,” the Education Minister reasoned. 

Minister Manickchand said teachers are benefiting from promotions which attract higher salaries and benefits, and are being recognized for their academic achievements. She said others have been provided with the opportunity to advance their education at the University of Guyana without hindrance. 

However, dissatisfied with the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting, the Guyana Teachers’ Union said it will head back to the Court, while not ruling out a resumption of the strike. The Education Minister is hoping that “good sense will prevail” in the matter.

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