Teachers whose pay increases have been delayed for some time are being assured by government that their upgrades are being addressed.
However, only teachers who have furthered their education qualify for the rise.
Education Minister Daryll Mathew said, “The upgrades are being processed as we speak. The Cabinet has already agreed to it, and so it is going through the establishment process to ensure that they receive all of their entitlements that they are due.
“The government continues to invest in education. I keep telling persons that studies have shown that the two most effective ways of lifting persons out of poverty is through access to housing and access to education,” Matthew added.
It is welcomed news for those educators who have invested in further education and enhanced their qualifications but have not been compensated for their efforts even though, by law, they have a right to a pay increase.
The matter is one that has been at the forefront of negotiations spearheaded by the teachers’ bargaining agent, the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers.