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Cabinet urges striking teachers to end protest (file photo)
By Shermain Bique-Charles
Email: [email protected]
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.
When teachers AND nurses begin to be held in higher esteem and treated like gods instead of commoners, ONLY THEN will the bullshit end. The education failures are not to be placed on the teachers BUT the failure of the MoE, government and the greedy PM who want all and will get none tarl.
I still can’t get around why teachers are paid so low, knowing that we depend on them primarily for our education. It is baffling sometimes to know the way the are being taken for granted.
Have you noticed that government ministers never miss a payday or back pay? Pay the people they monies that you owe them they have to eat too wicked set a people
That’s why the government should make it their priority to pay important workers like the teachers and nurses what is owed to them.
And our children continue to suffer
Students are suffering due to the negligence and wickedness of our government. Not everyone is going to be an ass and work without pay or demands being met. Here the government want us to teache and not receive what we deserve. It’s about time it ends
The students shouldn’t have to suffer over the negligence of the government. However if we as teachers don’t take action, how else will we be heard? we are tired of blaming the union. At this point we take it to the government. We shall sit-in until we receive what is deserved.
People have to suffer because of their politics. Setting back children because you want to bring down one man. Think of it. Think long and hard.