Belmopan, October 3, 2024.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology (MoECST) wishes to address the recent concerns raised by the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) regarding the delayed payment of salaries for teachers. We recognise and share the concern for ensuring that our teachers are paid in a timely and efficient manner, and we wish to provide the public with the following clarifications.
- Off-Cycle Payment Run
The Ministry has submitted the names of one-hundred and twenty-two (122) teachers for an off-cycle payment run to address the delayed salaries. The Treasury Department has confirmed that these salaries should be deposited into the respective teachers’ bank accounts by the evening of October 4th.
- BNTU’s List
The BNTU provided a list of ninety-nine (99) teachers to the Ministry which it claimed had not been paid. Upon review, it was found that twelve (12) names were duplicates, leaving eighty-seven (87) cases to resolve. Of these, forty-four (44) teachers are already included in the off-cycle payment, meaning their payments are expected this week.
- Remaining Cases
The remaining forty-three (43) teachers were investigated further. Nine (9) teachers were found to have already received their September salaries, and three (3) were secondary or tertiary-level teachers, who are processed through a different system. An additional four (4) are being finalised for salary processing for the next payment cycle.
This leaves twenty-seven (27) teachers from the BNTU list requiring additional attention. The Ministry is committed to working with School Managements to sort these through posthaste so that these salaries can be processed later this month.
The Ministry acknowledges that the current salary processing system is antiquated and prone to delays, especially where paperwork is incomplete or submitted late. We understand the frustration that these delays have caused for the affected teachers, and we are committed to working closely with the BNTU and all stakeholders to address these challenges swiftly.
The Ministry remains dedicated to making education work for Belize and ensuring that all teachers receive the compensation they are rightfully due. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all teachers affected as we continue to make progress in resolving these issues.
Ends
For more information, please contact:
Communications and Public Relations Unit
Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology
Tel: (501) 828-8004
Email: pr@moecst.gov.bz
