**CABINET NOTES:** Since teachers in the public schools downed tools because of the non-payment of certain outstanding allowances—to a small number of the educators—the Cabinet held a discussion with the Accountant General, by telephone; and, with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, in person.
It appears that arrears date back to the Covid-19 pandemic when many payments were put on hold.
Although all vouchers were submitted to the Treasury in November 2024, the ** _Free Balance_** system utilized by the Treasury would pose a challenge, rejecting several vouchers; it required new vouchers to be re-issued.
The Treasury reported that all vouchers have now been processed and cheques submitted on Tuesday and today, Wednesday, to meet all payments due.
The Permanent Secretary acknowledged that additional checks were received today but their names required double-checking which was not complete when she left for the Cabinet meeting.
The Ministry has informed the various Principals of each of the schools that checks are now available for the teachers.
The Cabinet expressed the view that return of the teachers to teaching their charges would re-commence immediately.
The Cabinet repeated its exhortation to both teachers and their Union to take into account that the students bear no responsibility for the disagreement that exists, and to remind that the education of the future generation is always to be treated as a highly valued objective.
