It is uncertain how many school teachers countrywide have not received salaries for the month of September because of what we understand is the result of the local school management handing in late documents to the Teaching Service Commission.

Information emerging from the south indicates that teachers in Stann Creek were affected, but later it was clarified by the executive secretary of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), George Frazer, that teachers from all over are being affected.

According to Frazer, because management apparently did not send in the necessary documents early in September, which include teaching license, social security card, birth certificate/passport, police record, two character references and marriage/divorce certificate (where applicable), the teachers’ names didn’t appear in the pay list.

Frazer also told us that this could also have legal implication because the teachers have worked, and regardless, must be paid for their labor, but that a meeting that is to be held tomorrow here in Belize City with the ministry should address the issue, so that the teachers can be paid for September as soon as possible before the month concludes.

Amandala has since spoken to one of the teachers affected. She said that in her case, she was contracted when a teacher died about a year ago. Apparently, she just signed her contract on Friday, only to find out that her September salary has been withheld.

Frazer told us that these documents should have at least been sent around September 6 or 8 for the teachers’ names to appear on the pay list.

We tried speaking with other teachers, but they were very reluctant to speak with us.

Frazer told us that a meeting will be held on North Front Street to address the situation.

Amandala

BNTU says late salaries caused by late documents

A number of teachers countrywide have not been paid for the month of September and it’s stirring up trouble. The delay is because the Teaching Services Commission, which was established in January, requires teachers and school managers to provide several documents including their teaching license, medical report and police record. The pay sheets for the teachers are also to be submitted in the first week of the month. According to the Executive Secretary for the Belize National Teachers’ Union, George Frazer, the blame falls on the teachers and school management for handing in their documents late, but the union is working with the Ministry of Education to have the salaries disbursed as quickly as possible.

Via Phone: George Frazer, Executive Secretary, BNTU

“In the past we have had a lot of problems because teachers and sometimes management do not send these in and result in being on the wrong pay scale and a whole lot of problem. But what happen this year, and some of the teachers are to blame especially some of the new ones starting their teaching profession or those who have been on temporary and some management have been late in sending in these things. When it comes to teacher’s pay, especially for primary school the managers have to prepare and send in pay sheets by the end of the first week. So for September for example, for the teachers to get their pay which is usually the last Friday of the month, the managers have to send in the pay sheet with all the relevant information by the seventh or the eighth of the month. So there have been delays in these things. We are concerned about those teachers who have not received their pay and this is countrywide. I won’t say it’s an extra large number but yes, it includes new teachers and those who have been on temporary and in each district you will find a number of these people. The Ministry, they have spoken to the Catholic general manager, which is the largest management and they are working on the pay. I heard the Public Relation Officer, Ms. Arlette Gomez, from the Ministry of Education say that they are working on the pay so that people can get their pay by next week. But we ask the Ministry please try to get it done earlier; people have bills to pay. The labor laws are clear, if you work and you are paid by the week or the month when that period is up, you should be paid.”

According to Frazer, the Teaching Services Commission will be meeting on Friday to discuss the teacher’s salaries.

Channel 5