Dear Editor,
The negotiation outcomes and moreover the now signed agreement between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the government leave much to be desired and it has ignited a wave of grave disappointment and frustration among our educators.
Under the leadership of Dr. Mark Lyte and his executives, the GTU secured what has been touted as a 10% salary “increase” along with a few other “benefits” for teachers. However, upon closer inspection, these gains appear to be negligible at best and fail to address the deeper structural and fundamental issues facing teachers in Guyana.
Several days ago, I painstakingly watched and listened to the president of the Guyana Teachers’ Union who tried to persuade teachers and in some regard members of the public that teachers got a good offer in the union’s negotiation with the government. “You have to look at the whole package” he said.
Utter nonsense!
From the outset I give him and team for accepting and trying to represent such gains, a mark of full no confidence.
Dr. Mark Lyte and his executives including some who are now seeking to distance themselves from the process should all pack their bags and go. Many of them can no long speak for me as a teacher and fellow members of the GTU and I am confident that many of my colleagues will agree with me.
One of the most contentious aspects of the recent negotiations and now accepted positions is the paltry 10% salary “ increase”, offered, a “hollow victory”. While on the surface this may seem like a positive development in the scheme of things, it falls short when contextualized against the high cost of living, inflation, and the longstanding financial struggles of our teachers. Such as debunching! A meagre, insignificant 10% increase over an extended period on nothing, does little to offset the economic challenges our teachers face, particularly when their salaries have stagnated for years. The proposed increment appears more symbolic than substantive, offering a temporary “salve” rather than a meaningful solution to the financial hardships endured by our teachers.
Moreover, this miniscule raise does not address the broader issue of equitable compensation for teachers given our country’s strong economic position.
In a profession that is most central to the development of the nation’s future, this proposed 10% increment feels more like an insult to the dedication and hard work of teachers, who continue to operate in challenging conditions with limited resources. A reality the GTU president and team seems to forget. Instead of a progressive step forward, this lack of a real increase, reinforces the undervaluation of our teachers and the teaching profession. Now, by our very own.
In addition to the salary increase, the GTU president highlighted what he deemed other “achievements,” such as the rise in uniform allowance from $8,000 to $15,000 per year. However, this “increase” is marginal when viewed in the context of the last adjustment, which occurred in 2006. A mere, trifling $7,000 increment spread over nearly two decades, reflects a lack of serious commitment and representation to improving the welfare of our teachers, by the GTU’s collective leadership. This negligible enhancement in the allowance does little to alleviate the financial burdens on teachers, who continue to struggle with the high costs associated with this noble profession.
Similarly, the announcement of scholarships for teachers to pursue diplomas or Master’s degrees at the University of Guyana, while seemingly positive, is another area of serious concern.
The GTU should have aimed for a more ambitious target, advocating and making real representation for a more substantial portion of the 40,000 scholarships the government has pledged to offer. Ensuring that thousands of teachers receive scholarships, would have a transformative impact on the education system and the lives of our educators, enhancing the quality of teaching and contributing to their professional development and nation building.
By accepting a modest number of scholarships, in a restrictive field of study, the GTU leadership has once again settled for mediocrity rather than pushing for substantial, long-term benefits for teachers. Sir, the more qualified our teachers are in different fields of study, the better the education sector and by extension the nation’s youth and country will be.
The other supposed benefits, are not sufficient for me to offer additional comments.
Yours respectfully,
Hon. Jermaine Figueira MP