Educators on contract with the Tobago House of Assembly will soon receive a 14 percent increase in their remuneration, effective October 31, 2015.

It’s the same increase contract workers of the Assembly are receiving, Chief Secretary Orville London disclosed at Wednesday’s (January 27) post Executive Council media briefing at the Administrative Complex, Calder Hall. He said the adjustment will bring teachers on par with public servants.

He told reporters that the Executive Council approved a Note for the new salaries to take effect. This is estimated to cost the Assembly more than $2.3 million a year.

“The Secretary (Education) would have brought a Note to have educators on par by giving them the same 14 percent. That Note has been approved and it does give the Division of Education the authority to make the necessary amendment,” the Chief Secretary said.

London added: “The Secretary of Education has given me the assurance that work has started on some of the infrastructural issues in some of the schools and he expects the situation in most of the schools would be remedied in the shortest possible time.”

Speaking on the issue of regularising contract teachers, London said it is not an easy matter to solve because there are not enough permanent spots to accommodate them all.

“That process has to be examined very carefully, evaluated very carefully and those who are eligible for places will be placed and then of course decisions will have to be made with respect to the others,” London said.