THE Fiji Teachers Union has called on the Education Ministry to expedite the payment of rural and maritime teachers who are still waiting for their location allowances.
While welcoming the payment of location allowances to 4185 teachers worth more than $2.06million, FTU general secretary Muniappa Gounder said not all the teachers would be receiving their allowances in the first instalment.
“We had a meeting with the minister (last week) and the agenda was the location allowance as we were having a lot of queries from our members and the numbers were provided by the director of finance,” said Mr Gounder.
“The process is, there is a form that needs to be filled in by the heads of schools with his or her staff and that form has to reach the Ministry of Education.
“Once it reaches the ministry then the location allowance is distributed to the teachers.
“Not all are getting theirs in the first instalment because some forms that have been received have to be verified.”
He said while the union understood the need for due diligence, he urged the ministry to pay rural and maritime teachers what they are owed as soon as possible.
“I would like to thank the ministry but at the same time I would request the ministry to expedite the payment.
“When you look at the location allowances, rural and maritime teachers, the number of hardships they face in their schools.
“The urban centres are not aware of it because we have the luxuries of life here.
“What I would suggest is that the ministry must pay the location allowances on time and on a termly basis rather than have teachers calling out for their allowances.”
On October 4, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro announced the distribution of $2,066,700 to 4185 teachers.
He said the ministry had yet to receive 1084 location allowance application requests from the Head of Schools.
171 teachers set for pay rise
MORE than 170 teachers are up for a pay rise after they upgraded their qualifications.
Fiji Teachers Union general secretary Muniappa Gounder said discussions on when these teachers would be starting on their new salaries would be carried out this week with the Education Ministry.
“We have 450 teachers that upgraded their qualification from certificate diploma to degree level,” said Mr Gounder.
“They need to be put on Band F Step 4 and we are still negotiating with the Ministry about that.
“I was informed by the ministry that out of the 450 who upgraded their qualifications, 171 applications have been verified, and they will be paid soon, but how soon we will finalise it in our meeting (this) week.”
According to a Ministry of Civil Service circular released on July 12, 2024, the base salary for civil servants on Band F Step 4 begin from $30,615.98.
