Teachers on contract can now travel freely as Gov’t removes requirement for surety in cash, assets
Teachers employed with the Ministry of Education on a contractual basis and want to travel overseas will no longer have to apply six weeks in advance, lodge their land transport/title, cash or provide the details of a guarantor as surety that he/she will return.
This is according to a memorandum issued by the Ministry of Education to all teachers on March 01, 2023. Instead of providing all these documents, teachers who are on contract only need to apply for a waiver letter from the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of Education.
The previous policy prescribed that all teachers who are on contract must apply for permission to leave the country at least six weeks in advance, provide the surety, and in the case where a guarantor is needed, he/she must be a senior teacher above the age of 45 and must have at least three years of service remaining.
“With the current arrangement, there are instances where teachers find it difficult to meet the existing requirements to be allowed to travel,” the memorandum stated, and so, with immediate effect, all teachers, whether traveling or not, must apply for the waiver letter so that they can travel without restriction.
Upon receiving this letter, the teacher must submit it to the Immigration Department (GPO building in Georgetown) to have it signed and stamped.
“This waiver letter will allow the teacher to travel out of Guyana during the duration of his or her contract,” the Education Ministry noted.
It was, however, noted that teachers in possession of this letter must still adhere to the previously established guidelines when travelling: inform their department of education of their intention to travel, their departure and resumption dates at least 10 days before; the department must communicate its decision to the teacher within five days after receiving application; if a teacher is unable to resume duty as approved, it must be communicated in writing to the department; any teacher who does not return within the stipulated time and does not communicate in writing prior to the date of resumption, will have his/her salary withheld and deduction will be made and finally, head teachers are required to inform the department of education within three working days of the non-resumption of teachers who were granted permission to travel.
