Cabinet Urges Teachers to Return to Classrooms; Students Shouldn’t Suffer Like This

By Shermain Bique-Charles

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Amid an ongoing teachers’ strike triggered by unresolved payment issues, the Cabinet has taken steps to investigate the underlying problems affecting educators in the public school system.

Recent industrial action has seen teachers halting their work due to the non-payment of specific allowances, prompting Cabinet members to reach out to senior officials for clarity. This is the 4th day that teachers have decided not to teach students.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet engaged in discussions with the Accountant General over the phone and met in person with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education.

Reports indicate that these payment delays trace back to the Covid-19 pandemic, when many financial transactions were paused.

Although all necessary vouchers were submitted to the Treasury in November 2024, the Free Balance system has created complications by rejecting numerous vouchers, necessitating the issuance of new ones.

According to the Treasury, all outstanding vouchers have now been processed, and cheques were made available earlier this week to address the overdue payments.

The Permanent Secretary confirmed that while some additional checks were received, they had yet to complete the verification of names before heading to the Cabinet meeting.

In light of these developments, the Ministry has notified school Principals that cheques for teachers are ready to be distributed.

The Cabinet has urged teachers to return to their classrooms promptly, emphasizing that students should not suffer due to the ongoing dispute.

They reminded both educators and their Union that the future of the students is of utmost importance and deserves priority in resolving these issues.