When do teachers want their salaries to be paid? If you receive your salary too early in December you may end up spending it all and, in January, find yourself queuing for a cash loan. If you receive it too late in the month, you may face a dull festive season without money to spoil yourself or your family.
Teachers receive payment earlier than usual when it is holiday time, but not all educators are happy about this arrangement as the following SMS indicates: “Can’t the Teacher help educators to have their salaries processed at the end of the month irrespective of schools’ closure date?”
The Teacher posed the question to Firoz Patel, deputy director in the department of education. This is what he said: “This really is an interesting question. The whole issue of getting paid on the last school day arose from the need when, long ago, teachers were paid first in cash and later by cheque and therefore salaries had to reach schools by the last working day of the school term.
“If there is a request for a change I am sure it can be affected. However, the request will have to be made by the teacher. Moreover, I think this would require a collective agreement and will have to be voluntary. So, if there is sufficient need for a change in the current practice, teachers will have to contact their unions so that it is put on the agenda of the Education Labour Relations Council.”