Ministry Clarifies Teacher Payment “Misinformation”

The Ministry of Education is pushing back against reports that teachers were left unpaid, following concerns raised by the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU). Minister of Education Oscar Requena addressed the issue in a recent interview, clarifying that the problem stemmed from delayed allowances and poor communication.

“Yes, that matter came to my attention last week, Friday. And I must say that it’s unfortunate,” the minister said. “I believe that there was some, you know, misinformation via social media, because essentially what was presented is that teachers were not being paid. And really that is not so.”

According to the minister, the issue dates back to December, when some teachers experienced delays in receiving hardship, responsibility, and salary adjustment allowances. To bridge the gap, the ministry issued advance salaries with the understanding that the amount would later be deducted.

“So the ministry made a decision, in consultation with the teachers, that there was going to be an advance of salary with the understanding that that was going to be paid back via salary deduction. And essentially that is what took place last week,” he explained.

Requena acknowledged that the lack of timely communication from the financial center may have caused confusion when the deductions were processed. He assured that the ministry is actively working with the BNTU to resolve the matter. “We are working with our teachers, and we are working, you know, with our stakeholders, such as the BNTU, to be able to address this matter as expeditiously as possible.” 

News 5 reached out to the BNTU for comment.