Senior teachers' allowances delayed
Published:Sunday | August 29, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
SEVERAL SENIOR teachers assigned to public schools are seething this month end as the education ministry has again failed to pay over their special allowances.
Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner are that the teachers have not been paid this allowance since last September.
One teacher told The Sunday Gleaner that she is owed $140,000, which is paid for additional duties. Other teachers are owed similar sums and more.
Among those who have not received their allowance are seven recently appointed senior teachers at a popular all-girls secondary school in the Corporate Area.
Last Friday, more than a week after questions had been submitted, the Ministry of Education confirmed that the Government had not paid the allowance to the senior teachers.
Losing their patience
However, the education ministry could not say how much money was outstanding.
"The information (about the) arrears is being collected," the ministry stated in a written response to The Sunday Gleaner.
According to the ministry, the senior teachers should be paid by the start of the new school year.
But after spending almost a year waiting for the money, the senior teachers are losing their patience.
"We are not pleased because we keep getting the runaround. I find the (education) ministry to be very tardy in dealing with matters relating to teachers," said a disgruntled senior teacher, who asked not to be named.
In a statement crafted by Grace McLean, chief education officer, and issued by director of communications, Colin Blair, the ministry said the outstanding amounts were being processed.
"Please note that this process is quite tedious. Hence all the checks and reviews have to be done before the payments are approved," the ministry said.
According to the ministry, senior teacher requests are made by the schools, and this information is submitted to its regional offices for processing.
"The schools' establishments are checked and verified to ensure that the requests being submitted are available on the establishment. The request is then formally documented and information sent to payroll for processing," the education ministry explained.
It said the senior teachers should get their money at the start of the new school year.