By Belize Live News Staff: Belize’s National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action in January if the government fails to clear a backlog of unpaid allowances and increments, union officials said.
Out of 1,916 union members, 1,882 voted in favor of the action during district meetings last week, citing frustration over delays dating back to September. According to BNTU President Nadia Caliz, 90% of teachers have yet to receive payments, and the union has sent a formal demand to the Ministry of Education.
“The votes cast [Thursday] night gave the BNTU the mandate to act on this and treat it with urgency,” Caliz said. “If the demands are not adhered to, we will proceed with industrial action.”
Chief Education Officer Yolanda Gongora acknowledged the issue at a recent meeting with the BNTU but said supplementary financing might be needed to address the backlog. However, she could not confirm if payments would be made before the year-end.
Prime Minister John Briceño urged patience, blaming school managements for some delays.
“Most of these issues start at the management level,” Briceño said. “We’ve been clearing a backlog from 2018 and are now working on 2024. As much as they want the money, and I understand that, we’re doing our best to give them what they rightly deserve.”
Caliz warned that the problem extends beyond finances, with teacher shortages becoming a critical issue.
“Teachers are leaving like never before,” she said. “There are still empty classrooms in this country, and in some cases, no one is there to teach. If this continues, who will be here to educate the nation’s future?”
The union has called for dialogue with the Ministry of Education but remains firm in its stance to act if no progress is made.
