GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) announced Wednesday that it had agreed with the Ministry of Education for a three-year salary increase that includes several non-salary benefits for teachers.
GTU President Dr. Mark Lyte and the second Vice President, Julian Cambridge, signed the agreement with Shannielle Hoosein—Outar, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, and Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain.
“Congratulations to the Guyana Teachers Union and the Government of Guyana, represented by the Ministry of Education, for sensibly and civilly reaching an agreement that covers teacher benefits from 2024 to 2026,” said Education Minister Priya Manickchand.
Lyte said the increases are 10 percent this year, 8 percent in 2025, and 9 percent the following year.
“The percentages are the same that the General Council accepted,” he said. He added that the GTU could not have reneged on the previously accepted pay hikes and returned to the employer to reopen talks on further increases.
“The fact that the General Council accepted the percentages, the negotiating team couldn’t refuse it, so that’s the basis,” he said.
In a statement, the GTU said that the GTU Council instructed the General executives at a meeting held on Friday, August 9,” by a majority vote to accept the salary and non-salary package offered by MOE (Ministry of Education).
“This General Council instruction is binding according to Rule 13 of the Guyana Teachers’ Union Constitution.”
In its statement, the GTU confirmed it had agreed on salaries and non-salary benefits for teachers in 2024-2026.
“This agreement comes after months of talks between the two sides. The General Council decision reflects the members’ wishes based on the instructions given to the executives,” the union said, adding that the package includes salary increases and a range of non-salary enhancements such as allowances, duty-free concessions, housing, revolving fund, scholarships, clothing allowance, health coverage, hinterland, and riverain benefits, opening up of new positions for teachers on the salary scale, and reemployment incentives among others.
It said these benefits aim to provide additional support for teachers in their professional growth and personal and family lives.
The union has been demanding a 39.5 percent increase for this year and 30 percent for the following two years. However, the union said that the government is offering 10 percent for this year, eight percent in 2025, and nine percent in 2026.
Earlier this year, thousands of teachers participated in a 75-day strike to demand collective bargaining for financial matters. The High Court later ruled in favor of the union, and the Guyana Court of Appeal is yet to hear the government’s appeal.
The GTU and the Ministry of Education eventually returned to the bargaining table after the government rejected demands for an interim pay hike or a one-off cash grant of GUY$150,000 per teacher pending the outcome of negotiations.
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