Teachers welcome Government’s increase in Remote Area Incentive

Government’s announcement that the Remote Area Incentive (RAI) for teachers will be increased by eighty percent in 2018 has been welcomed by teachers.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan during his 2018 Budget presentation on Monday, said the RAI which stands at $5,000 and $7,000 respectively, will be $9,000 and $12,600, from January 1, next year.

Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) trainees commended the Government for taking their needs into consideration with the increase. Trainee, Rishanna Lambert told the Department of Public Information today that, “This will now give persons that drive in terms of delivering a better quality of education because they know that they are now being compensated for the service they are offering.”

Her colleague, Julia Charles noted that “when they [teachers] see the Government is now looking into their needs and seeing there is a need for the increase, then I think it will be beneficial for them…they will be much more willing to go into the remote areas.”

Following the Budget presentation, Public Affairs Minister Dawn Hastings-Williams, a former teacher, said she was pleased with the RAI increase given the cost of items in these far-flung areas. “The eighty percent I think is very good from $7,000 to $12, 600. I know the Hinterland teachers will be very happy and I know in those remote areas how difficult it is …so I’m happy they got that this year,” she said.

Minister Jordan described the increase as recognition of the disparity in the quality of living in the Hinterland compared to Coastland, as testified by education officials.

He noted that “In order to ensure that we improve the quality of education and the opportunities for our young people, the 61 availability of good teachers is vital, and we must both retain and move additional teachers to those locations.”

Source:http://gina.gov.gy