The new executive of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) yesterday paid a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President to discuss several matters of concern, including negotiations for a new agreement as the current agreement expires this year.
Also present at the meeting were Education Minister Shaik Baksh and Permanent Secretary Pulandar Khandi.
The deal, involving a multi-year package (2006 to 2010), was signed on October 11, 2006, catering for a five percent per annum across-the-board increase for all categories of teachers and one percent of the wage bill as a performance based increment per annum for eligible teachers.
The agreement also included increased remuneration for teachers who have improved their qualifications, an annual clothing allowance of $6,000 per teacher, one-off duty free concessions for vehicles for 100 Head Teachers per year, a housing revolving fund of $40M per year for 2006-2010, that is, $200M by 2010, to facilitate construction of houses for teachers, and 25 Government-sponsored scholarships per year for teachers at the University of Guyana.