THE recommendations submitted by a high-level task force on salary increases and other financial benefits for teachers in the public education system are now with the Ministry of Finance, President David Granger said on Tuesday.

President Granger made the disclosure during a meeting with President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Mark Lyte and General-Secretary Coretta McDonald. However, the issue was put to him by a reporter during the meeting which was partially open to the media.

In the first week of April, the report with recommendations was handed over to Education Minister Nicolette Henry with a commitment that it will be submitted to Cabinet for consideration. Based on the instructions of President Granger, the task force was put together last November to address salary negotiations and other issues affecting teachers. The matters addressed included non-salary issues, allowances, de-bunching and matters highlighted during the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education sector, in addition to the GTU’s Multi-Year Agreement.

The GTU had initially proposed a 40 per cent across-the-board increase for teachers for 2016; 45 per cent increase for last year and 50 per cent for 2018 through 2020 for all categories of teachers. It is unclear, however, what were the percentages put forward in the recommendations.

On Tuesday, the President stated that the recommendations are now with the Finance Ministry. “Right now they are at the Ministry of Finance and I think that might be good place to leave this discussion,” he told the reporter. Asked whether there was a time frame within which the Finance Ministry is expected to respond, President Granger, in response said he was unable to say. “No I can’t give you a timeline now. The Ministry of Finance will have to determine the outcome,” he said.

When the recommendations were submitted by the task force, the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Vibert Welch had said that after three months of intense deliberations, a number of favourable recommendations have been tabled. He opined that the recommendations made in the final report will likely attract more persons to the teaching profession and encourage those who are already in to remain. The permanent secretary had expressed optimism that Cabinet would have looked favourably at the recommendations put forward.

Lyte said after three months of deliberations, members of the GTU are satisfied with the proposals and recommendations made. According to the GTU President, it is important that the work of teachers in the classroom is recognised. Like the PS in the Education Ministry, Lyte said the GTU is anticipating a favourable response.