President Dr. Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet has decided that sweeper/cleaners at all public schools will immediately be offered employment with a full-time contract and gratuity at the public service minimum wage level.
Cabinet gave this directive in order for steps to be taken to regularise the manner in which sweeper/cleaners are employed and paid at public schools, a press release from the Department of Public Information said on Friday.
Sweeper-cleaners have long expressed the desire to also be considered as regular employees at public institutions and receive similar benefits.
Further, the release noted that steps have been initiated to address other pending anomalies in the salaries being paid to other categories of employees.
This includes teachers who are affected by inconsistencies in their pay grades depending on the year in which they were appointed.
“These initiatives all form part of this government’s ongoing efforts to improve the conditions of employment of public sector workers,” the release noted.
In December 2020, central government employees received a one-off grant of $25,000, while in December 2021, they received an across-the-board seven percent increase.
This increase was provided for teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office holders, as well as government pensioners.
Additionally, government restored the one-month tax free bonus paid to members of the disciplined services, which had been discontinued by the previous administration.
