Over 14,000 teachers receive 10% salary increase

Teachers across Guyana have received their promised 10 per cent retroactive salary increases, the Ministry of Education revealed on Wednesday.

“The 10% increase and the salary adjustments have put more than $2.5 billion in the hands of our educators countrywide,” the ministry stated.

The News Room understands that teachers in all regions except Region Ten received their increases. The teachers in that region will get their increases soon with payroll set be to completed in short order.

The increase is in keeping with the recently signed memorandum of agreement between the government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union.

“This underscores our commitment to valuing the hard work and dedication of our educators. A total of 14,786 teachers have benefitted, providing much-needed support to teachers and recognizing their vital role in shaping the future of our nation. We thank our teachers for their unwavering commitment to educating our children and building a brighter future for Guyana,” the ministry said.

The agreement for salary increases was finally inked after months of intense negotiations.

The deal covers the period 2024 to 2026 with teachers expected to get a direct 27% increase in salaries over the next three years. In 2024, they will get a 10% increase; in 2025, an 8% increase and in 2026, a 9% increase.

The increases can be adjusted if any general public service salary increases are higher.

Teachers across the country who engaged in strike action for more than two months returned to schools at the end of June, as the Education Ministry and GTU agreed to negotiate a new deal.

For context, an initial five-week strike began on February 5, with teachers demanding higher salary increases and duty-free concessions, among other benefits.

After a court-mediated process in March, talks between the Education Ministry and GTU resumed. Discussions were halted when the Education Ministry indicated that there was no fiscal space to cater for increases for the period 2019 -2023. Increases for 2024 and future years were put for consideration instead.