19/02/2026
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Teachers’ Union Demands Review of New Promotion Formula
Georgetown, Guyana (Credible Sources) - The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) on Wednesday strongly criticized the newly published 2026 Senior Promotion criteria, warning that the revised framework significantly diminishes the value of teaching experience and undermines fairness within the profession. Speaking at a press conference, GTU President Coretta McDonald said the new formula assigns one point for every five years of trained service, replacing what had previously been a system that awarded two points per year of trained service.
Under the former approach, a teacher with 15 years of trained service would have accumulated 30 points; under the new system, that same service would now earn only three points. The Union described the change as a “mathematical recalibration with profound consequences,” arguing that experience in education represents institutional knowledge, mentorship, leadership, and sustained classroom performance that should not be reduced in value.
The GTU also raised concerns about governance and transparency, stating that adjustments of such magnitude should involve meaningful consultation with the Union as the recognised representative body of teachers. The Union expressed unease over amendments to vacancy notices through addenda and stressed the importance of a transparent, impartial process, particularly after nearly four years of limited promotional movement during which many teachers have acted in senior roles without formal confirmation.
The Union is calling for immediate structured engagement between the Ministry of Education, the Teaching Service Commission and the GTU; a formal review of the experience-point allocation; reconciliation of the published vacancy list; and renewed commitment to consultation in education governance. The GTU maintained that diminishing the weight of professional experience sends the wrong signal to the teaching profession and risks weakening the overall resilience of the education system.