Over 180 teachers granted duty-free concessions under multi-year agreement

In a major boost to the education sector, some 187 teachers across Guyana have been granted duty-free concessions as part of the 2024-2026 multi-year agreement signed between the Education Ministry and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) on August 21, 2024.
The initiative, which spans several regions, allows eligible teachers to access duty-free exemptions primarily for the importation of motor vehicles – an incentive long sought by education stakeholders.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Education released the official list of teachers eligible for the duty-free concession for the year 2025. The Ministry’s detailed regional breakdown of teachers approved for the benefit includes five teachers from Region One (Barima-Waini), 12 from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 24 from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 21 from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 17 from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 21 from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), four from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), two from Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), four from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), 14 from Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and 26 teachers from Georgetown.
Additionally, the Ministry recognised age-based eligibility for teachers above 32 years old, resulting in one teacher each from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) being approved, two each from Region One (Barima-Waini) and Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), seven teachers from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), eight teachers from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), five teachers from Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and 11 teachers from Georgetown.
The concessions cover vehicles with capacities of up to 1800 cc, outboard engines of up to 75 hp for persons in the riverine areas, and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) for eligible persons in the hinterland.
The new agreement also sees an increase in the number of concessions that will be granted to teachers by 50 per cent, in addition to the policy that all teachers who hold a substantive appointment as a senior master, mistress or above within three years of retirement and have not received a previous duty-free concession are entitled.

Criteria
To access concessions, applicants must submit copies of their birth certificate, first and present appointment letters, TIN certificate, and national identification card.
There are different criteria for which teachers can benefit from duty-free concessions.
Criterion A includes all heads or principals and deputy heads or deputy principals of grades A and B institutions. They get this concession immediately on appointment or with three years remaining before retirement.
Criterion B covers head teachers or administrators of grades C, D and E institutions. They get this concession after three years in their appointment or with three years remaining before retirement.
Criterion C is applicable to all senior masters or mistresses; heads of departments of all schools; and lecturer IIs of CPCE, technical, or craft institutions. They get this concession after serving six years in the same position after their appointment. These persons must have at least three years of service remaining before retirement.
In 2019, 300 educators from across the country were selected to benefit from duty-free concessions as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Education Ministry.
The concessions were covered under the Memorandum of Understanding for 2018 to 2020 and saw 100 teachers benefitting from the provision per annum.
This new agreement, inked under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government, will see an additional 187 teachers benefitting from concessions over three years.a