PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 15, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Friday said that teachers are still without a clear timeline for receiving salary arrears and backpay for the 2020-2023 period, even as the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it held a “productive meeting” with the union on Thursday.
In a statement, the MOE said that during the meeting “several critical matters concerning teachers, schools and the wider education system were discussed” and that ‘among the priority matters discussed were teacher salary arrears and backpay…”
But TTUTA said MOE officials said they had completed “100 per cent calculating” of backpay and were “40 per cent checking and auditing,” with the process expected to be completed by the second week in June.
However, the union said no funds have yet been released or identified by the Ministry of Finance to facilitate payments.
“It must be noted that no funds have been released or identified purpose from the Ministry of Finance to date thus no clear timelines can be given as to when educators will receive their backpay,” TTUTA president Crystal Ashe said, adding that the absence of communication from the Ministry of Finance is creating frustration among teachers and the union.
TTUTA said that the areas are for the period 2020–2023 period and despite earlier promises for payment by early 2026, many teachers including those in Tobago staff are still waiting.
TTUTA has been pressing for the full implementation of a five per cent salary increase for the 2020-2023 period. The agreement was reached just days before the April 28 general election between the union and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo had previously promised settlement by the first quarter of 2026, attributing delays to administrative bottlenecks rather than a lack of funds.
TTUTA also raised concerns over the renewal of Board of Assessment (BOA) and Student Support Services Division (SSSD) contracts, inaccuracies in leave classification and unresolved issues involving acting appointments versus performing duties.
The union said its General Council, which it has dubbed “The War Council,” will meet in an extraordinary meeting on Friday to discuss the issues.
The MOE in its statement quoted Education Minister Michael R. Dowlath as saying that several initiatives were already underway to modernise administrative systems and improve operational efficiency across departments.
CMC/ah/irr/2026