BREAKING: GTU, Education Ministry reach agreement

The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education on Wednesday finally reached an agreement, ending months of intense negotiations.

The deal, based on a Facebook post from Education Minister Priya Manickchand, covers the period 2024 to 2026.

GTU President Mark Lyte and the union’s second Vice President Julian Cambridge inked the agreement with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Shannielle Hoosein- Outar 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 the period 2024 to 2026 about benefits for teachers,” Manickchand said in a Facebook post.

Further details on the agreement will be shared subsequently.

Teachers across the country who engaged in strike action for more than two months returned to schools at the end of June, as the Education Ministry and GTU agreed to negotiate a new deal.

For context, an initial five-week strike began on February 5, with teachers demanding higher salary increases and duty-free concessions, among other benefits.

After a court-mediated process in March, talks between the Education Ministry and GTU resumed. Discussions were halted when the Education Ministry indicated that there was no fiscal space to cater for increases for the period 2019 -2023. Increases for 2024 and future years were put for consideration instead.