Guyana Teachers Union wants better working conditions as schools reopen

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Mark Lyte Monday promised to address decade's old problems confronting teachers as students returned to their classrooms for full time face-to-face tuition since the outbreak of COVID-19 that had resulted in most classes being undertaken online.

“This academic year will not go down that way, as your leader, with the support branch representatives and with your support, enough is enough,” Lyte said in a video statement coinciding with the reopening of schools.

He said teachers are being treated as third-class citizens in Guyana and it is time that school administrators and teachers take a stand and send a clear message, making reference to what he termed acts of discrimination against teachers.

“Everybody getting a package $250,000, $150,000, $30,000 (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents). what was given to teachers? More work and nothing else,” Lyte said.

He said that the Ministry of Education has promised to provide clothing allowances to teachers in their September salary after school reopens.

The GTU president said in a number of schools across the country, there are still ongoing infrastructural work and in some instances, some schools remain in a state of unpreparedness.

“And if the condition of the school environment is not conducive, infrastructural work is still ongoing, the school is dirty because of the last-minute construction, I advised our educators to ensure that you sign in the time book and return home,” Lyte said.

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