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Martin Lum Kin - Education stakeholders continue to weigh in on the October 13 budget presentation, which saw education and training receive the highest allocation of $8.766 billion in the 2025-2026 budget.
Incumbent TT Unified Teachers’ Association president Martin Lum Kin commented specifically on the announcement regarding wage negotiations to public servants, via a WhatsApp message on October 14.
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo said the Prime Minister instructed him to advise the Chief Personnel Officer to submit a revised offer of ten per cent for the periods of 2014-2016 and 2017-2019. He said government would ratify the collective agreement signed in 2025 between the CPO and respective associations, unions and committees of the members of the teaching service, the defence force and the Port of Spain and San Fernando City Corporations.
Lum Kin said the association welcomed the announcement that the agreement would be honoured.
“TTUTA looks forward to the implementation of the new salary and the payment of the impending arrears arising out of this agreement. We hope that the process will ensure that our members get their new salaries and the arrears in the shortest possible timeframe.
“With regards to the announcement of the ten per cent, that’s for the previous two periods which the PSA did not settle. We would have settled for a different period, which is 2020-2023 and we have no regrets because of the prevailing factors that were in place then and continue at this time.”
National Parent Teacher Association president Walter Stewart, in a statement via WhatsApp on October 14, said the organisation noted with keen interest that the Ministry of Education received the largest allocation, underscoring the government's stated commitment to the importance of education in national development.
He said NPTA wished to reserve further comment until the budget debate when the line minister is expected to provide additional details and clarity.
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