Education Minister Expects Teachers to Return to Classrooms Monday Following Strike Over Allowances

Education Minister Expects Teachers to Return to Classrooms Monday Following Strike Over Allowances

Education Minister Daryll Matthew says he expects teachers to return to work on Monday following a week-long strike, as the government confirms all outstanding payments related to allowances have now been settled.

Speaking on Pointe FM alongside Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Minister Matthew sought to clarify the circumstances that led to the industrial action, stressing that the issue was never about salaries or upgrades but rather outstanding allowances owed to specific groups of teachers, including TVET instructors and school administrators.

“As recently as about an hour ago, all the outstanding checks—believed to be the final nine—have been remitted to the teachers,” Matthew said. “So I certainly am fully expecting to see all the teachers back out to work on Monday.”

The strike action, he explained, stemmed primarily from delays in paying allowances such as travel and telephone stipends for principals and deputy principals, and lab coat allowances for technical subject teachers. The minister emphasized that while payments had been issued incrementally over the past months, the teachers’ union insisted that all dues be cleared at once.

He noted that discrepancies in check distribution, including instances where checks were collected directly from the Treasury without proper notification, contributed to confusion about who had been paid.

“We decided to publish a list of names—not addresses or amounts—so teachers could know checks were ready for collection,” he said. “But even that effort was politicized.”

Matthew defended the government’s efforts, stating that Cabinet had unanimously approved all teacher-related payments and that there was no issue of financial resources. He also praised the many teachers who remained in classrooms during the strike, quietly continuing to prepare students for crucial exams.

“Most of our teachers are professionals, committed to their students,” he said. “We have no issue with our teachers. What we’re concerned about is the disproportionate nature of the union’s response.”

Prime Minister Browne echoed this sentiment, criticizing what he described as a politically driven effort by elements within the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (ABUT) to destabilize the education system during a critical exam period.

“The executive has no quarrel with the teachers or even the union per se,” Browne said. “But the actions taken were disproportionate, especially when only six checks remained and children’s education was at stake.”

Browne and Matthew both expressed disappointment that union leaders did not encourage a quicker return to classrooms, despite receiving assurance that all payments would be processed.

The minister concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to resolving outstanding issues and improving the efficiency of future payment processes.

“We will continue to work with our teachers and even the union to ensure matters like these are dealt with constructively and in the best interest of our students,” Matthew said.

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