Ena Dalso-Henry (social media photo)
The Ministry of Education has commenced the distribution of cheques totaling $3 million in back pay for teachers, which is related to their recent re-classification. Permanent Secretary Ena Dalso-Henry announced that the distribution is taking place at the Antigua State College Auditorium.
The process began on Tuesday and is scheduled to continue Wednesday, with hours set from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and again from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. According to Dalso-Henry, around 1,400 teachers will receive cheques in varying amounts. The Treasury Department has already prepared approximately 1,000 cheques, which are available for immediate collection.
Dalso-Henry further stated that the Treasury is finalizing the remaining 400 cheques, which will be ready for distribution shortly. On the first day of this initiative, approximately 500 cheques were collected by the teachers.
Looking ahead to 2024, the total amount to be disbursed to teachers is expected to be close to $3 million, with an additional $2 million pending for the period from January to June this year.
To collect their cheques, teachers must present a valid government-issued photo ID. If someone is collecting on behalf of a teacher, they must provide a written authorization letter signed by the teacher, a copy of the teacher’s valid ID, and their own valid government-issued photo ID.
Long overdue, but glad the teachers are finally getting what they deserve.
Three million sounds like a lot, but when you divide it among 1,400 teachers it’s not that much.
I guess other civil servants that the Government owe turn will come soon? Or we have to wait another 7 years? Oh God how are you wicked. Since 2018 until now you can’t pay $2220.
But there are a number of teachers whose name wasn’t on the first list and was told to wait on another list. Let’s see how long they will take to do the other list.
And all this against a background of declining student performance in areas that really matter the most – Matthematics, Science, Languages, Industrial Arts…..What a travesty! What a rape of the nation’s Treasury!
We can take a horse to the stream but we can’t force it to drink
Hopefully this will avert what seems to be a reccuring strike hours before the opening of a school year/term
Why did it take so long to pay people what they were already owed?