–GTU General Secretary tells gov’t; says that would be good news
GENERAL-Secretary of Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald has urged the government to proceed with salary deductions for teachers participating in the strike action.

McDonald, who also serves as an Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), views such deductions as “good news”, citing promises from unnamed corporate sponsors to cover any lost wages for striking teachers.y

“If they decide that they are going to deduct monies from our teachers’ salaries… that’s good news for us because corporate sponsors out there have already pledged that they will reimburse our teachers. So, go ahead and deduct the teachers’ money,” McDonald remarked during a picket line appearance in front of the Ministry of Education, on Monday.

The GTU called for the strike, claiming that negotiations on teachers’ conditions and benefits have yet to be exhausted.
Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo had criticized McDonald’s leadership and motives, accusing her of misleading teachers for political gains.

“[She is] vilely trying to mislead the teachers of this country in pursuit of her political agenda,” Jagdeo asserted.
He said: “I think it is political opportunism… and I want to say to all teachers, whether you support the PPP or APNU, that they are using this for their selfish purposes. This is a political strike…we are constantly engaging the teachers. We are investing more and more in education and training for teachers’ improvement.”

This strike follows a history of discontent expressed by McDonald towards government efforts to improve teachers’ welfare, despite past acknowledgements of significant non-salary benefits secured under the PPP/C.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali had announced comprehensive salary adjustments and concessions last year, totalling $1.9 billion, benefiting thousands of teachers across various qualification levels.

Despite these efforts, McDonald insists the Ministry of Education has not fully met the GTU’s demands for better working conditions. However, the ministry contends that it has fulfilled a significant portion of the GTU’s proposals and is actively addressing the remainder.

The Ministry of Labour has stated that the conditions necessary for legal strike action have not been met, deeming the current strike unlawful. The Labour Minister urges the GTU to adhere to proper protocols for addressing grievances.
As part of this slew of interventions, all Graduate Teachers who are holders of a relevant Bachelor’s Degree (University of Guyana, GOAL Programme) will benefit from $1 billion in salary adjustments, benefitting 4,000 teachers.

Teachers with a Bachelor’s Degree will receive an education allowance of $10,000 monthly amounting to $120,000 annually. Holders of a Master’s Degree will also receive $20,000, amounting to $240,000 annually and a teacher who holds a doctorate will receive $30,000 amounting to $360,000.

Salary increases were also announced for Graduate Senior Mistress/Heads of Department, and Graduate Senior Assistant Mistresses working in the hinterland, in addition to increases in the Remote Areas Incentive (RAI) for teachers residing in the hinterland.

McDonald claimed that the Ministry of Education has not fulfilled the GTU’s proposals for better working conditions.
However, in an open letter to teachers issued recently, the Ministry of Education stated that of the 41 proposals made by the GTU, 25 of these have been fulfilled in less than three years.

Of the remaining 16, the release advised that two are specifically for the benefit only of the GTU and its executive members, and two are contrary to the laws of Guyana.
The 12 unresolved issues are currently being examined for practical implementation and sustainability.

Additionally, a suite of measures has been implemented to improve teachers’ working conditions.
These include teachers being provided with grants to purchase teaching materials, an increase in the stipend for CPCE pre-service trainees from $10,000 to $90,000, and the implementation of the EMIS system, which will eliminate most aspects of manual record keeping.