THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration has proactively boosted salary increases for teachers annually. By 2026, Guyana’s public school teachers will benefit from a 57per cent increase in their salaries, based on the effect of annual increases dating back to 2021.

This would result in an untrained graduate teacher, whose salary in 2020 was $157,443, benefitting from a salary of over $248,000 by 2026 — an increase of over $90,000.
The annual increases so far were 7 per cent in 2021, 7 per cent in 2022, and 6.5 per cent in 2023. The compound effect of these increases so far were approximately 22 per cent. With the recent agreement between the government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), increases will be granted at 10 per cent this year, 8per cent in 2025, and 9 per cent in 2026.

The 57 per cent salary increase represents the minimum increase teachers could expect in the period. Given that the government has made various adjustments to allowances, positions on salary scales, and other benefits, many teachers will benefit from increases in excess of 57 per cent.

President Irfaan Ali has explained that the adjustable clause in the agreement with the GTU indicates that teachers can get even higher increases than stated, if the government grants such increases in its annual public service salary revision. This indicates that the government is considering similar or even higher increases for ALL public servants, who therefore could benefit from a similar compound increase of 55-60 per cent over the 2021-2026 period.

The government of Guyana has committed to raising salaries of teachers, nurses and other public servants to levels not unlike those enjoyed in the developed world. The country’s increasing wealth will be used to improve the quality of life of all Guyanese. (DPI)