Teachers to get millions more

GOVERNMENT and the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) yesterday signed an agreement that guarantees teachers an annual increase over the next 10 years in the hope of attracting more people to the profession while keeping others in the classrooms.

In the process, Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s national Budget to be tabled this week will include an additional N$48 million for teachers while a similar amount will be added next year. The agreement comes into effect on April 1.According to the new deal, those joining the profession with a recognised three-year qualification will be at T3A level with a starting salary of at least N$60 660 a year instead of N$56 262 as proposed in the Wages and Salary Commission report a few years ago.Their salaries will be increased over a 10-year period to reach N$86 124.Teachers with a recognised four-year qualification will start from N$89 046 (T3B) and will reach N$120 036 within 10 years.Speaking at the signing, Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya said: “It is a very good agreement.We must just ensure that the benefits are matched by productivity.Teachers must redouble their efforts.”In addition to the increased salaries, the benefits of the 12 281 affected teachers have also been adjusted to the extent that Government’s contribution to their annual bonus will increase by 8,3 per cent and to their pension by 16 per cent.”We hope that the new grading will inspire the recruitment of more teachers and keep others in.It will also inspire them to develop a career over 10 years,” said Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Steve Katjiuanjo.In February 2004, Government undertook to increase salaries of teachers and to improve the appointment requirements.In terms of that undertaking, a new teacher with a Basic Education Teaching Diploma (BETD) and no experience would have earned N$110 000 a year since January 2004 while their counterparts who joined until a month earlier were earning N$56 000 a year.Some 191 new teachers were subsequently appointed but Government, realising the cost, backed down and said the new teachers had to pay back the money.Government argued that the previous agreement would cost the State close to N$500 million to improve the salaries and benefits of only around 6 000 teachers.As a result, Nantu staged a mass demonstration in October last year to demand the implementation of previously agreed salary increases.Both parties were called back to the negotiation table by Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja and agreed that the 191 teachers did not need to repay the money.The compromise averted threats of a national strike.There are 18 483 teachers, of whom 12 281 are covered by the new agreement.The remaining teachers – about 6 434 – are either at management level, under-qualified or vocational teachers not covered by the talks.Hamutenya said the negotiations took longer “because somebody decided not to consult us (Nantu) earlier”.She lambasted Government for not consulting Nantu – a recognised bargaining agent for teachers – before making decisions.The agreement comes into effect on April 1.According to the new deal, those joining the profession with a recognised three-year qualification will be at T3A level with a starting salary of at least N$60 660 a year instead of N$56 262 as proposed in the Wages and Salary Commission report a few years ago. Their salaries will be increased over a 10-year period to reach N$86 124.Teachers with a recognised four-year qualification will start from N$89 046 (T3B) and will reach N$120 036 within 10 years.Speaking at the signing, Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya said: “It is a very good agreement.We must just ensure that the benefits are matched by productivity.Teachers must redouble their efforts.”In addition to the increased salaries, the benefits of the 12 281 affected teachers have also been adjusted to the extent that Government’s contribution to their annual bonus will increase by 8,3 per cent and to their pension by 16 per cent.”We hope that the new grading will inspire the recruitment of more teachers and keep others in.It will also inspire them to develop a career over 10 years,” said Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Steve Katjiuanjo.In February 2004, Government undertook to increase salaries of teachers and to improve the appointment requirements.In terms of that undertaking, a new teacher with a Basic Education Teaching Diploma (BETD) and no experience would have earned N$110 000 a year since January 2004 while their counterparts who joined until a month earlier were earning N$56 000 a year.Some 191 new teachers were subsequently appointed but Government, realising the cost, backed down and said the new teachers had to pay back the money. Government argued that the previous agreement would cost the State close to N$500 million to improve the salaries and benefits of only around 6 000 teachers.As a result, Nantu staged a mass demonstration in October last year to demand the implementation of previously agreed salary increases.Both parties were called back to the negotiation table by Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja and agreed that the 191 teachers did not need to repay the money.The compromise averted threats of a national strike.There are 18 483 teachers, of whom 12 281 are covered by the new agreement.The remaining teachers – about 6 434 – are either at management level, under-qualified or vocational teachers not covered by the talks.Hamutenya said the negotiations took longer “because somebody decided not to consult us (Nantu) earlier”.She lambasted Government for not consulting Nantu – a recognised bargaining agent for teachers – before making decisions.