“Do it for the passion, not the pay” – Vice Chancellor to teachers

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG), Professor Ivelaw Griffith on Wednesday encouraged teachers to do their jobs for the passion and not the pay, moments after a teacher took to the stage of the National Cultural Centre to complain, in the form of poetry, of the miniature salary increases Government has announced.
Professor Griffith was at the time giving the feature address at the Education Ministry’s Regional Award Ceremony in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), which was held under the theme ‘Recognising and Celebrating our Achievements’.
“Teachers whether at the primary or secondary or university (levels) don’t get paid enough but we don’t do it just for the pay, we do it for the passion, for the motivation, for the incentivising of youth development,” he said.
His comments on educators’ salaries came just after a teacher perf

ormed her poem, calling out Government for their small increases while raising the cost of living in other areas.
The Vice Chancellor asked teachers across the auditorium of the National Cultural Centre to hold hands with their colleagues and students while reciting “I may not get paid enough money as a teacher, but I will continue to be excellent.”
Meanwhile, 98 awards were handed out to teachers and students who performed well over the past year at the National Grade Two, Grade Four and Grade Six

examinations. Teachers were rewarded in the area of music and athletics, among others.
A special stalwart teacher, Francesca Vieira, was also paid tribute to for her years of dedicated service in the Education Ministry.
The event was attended by the Regional Education Officer (ag), Tiffany Favourite-Harvey; the Regional Chairman, Genevieve Allen; and other executives from the Ministry, along with teachers and students from various schools across the region.
The Government recently announced that persons earning less than $100,000 a

month will receive a seven per cent increase.
Those earning between $100,000 and $299,999 will get an increase of 6.5 per cent, while those in the $300,000 to $499,999 range will get a five per cent increase. Those with a paycheque of between $500,000 and $699,999 a month will have their salaries increased by three per cent.
Meanwhile, those in the $700,000 to $799,999 range will be eligible for an increase of two per cent, while those earning $800,000 to $999,999 will get one per cent in increases and those with a $1 million salary and above will get a 0.5 per cent increase.
The circular issued by the Finance Ministry with regards to the salaries makes it clear that the increases do not apply to teachers, University of Guyana employees, Government Ministers and Members of Parliament.
It does, however, apply to the Disciplined Services, including the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
Nonetheless, teachers will be receiving a 12 per cent increase on their salaries for 2016 and eight per cent for 2018.