Vanuatu prime minister Jotham Napat (middle) and Vanuatu Teachers Union secretary general (right) celebrate the new collective bargaining agreement bringing the 18-month teachers' strike to an end. Photo: Vanuatu Prime Minister Facebook. Photo: Vanuatu Prime Minister Facebook
Vanuatu's teachers are set to return to classrooms next year with a new collective bargaining agreement reached between their union and the government.
The government announced the agreement on Monday [22 December] and said it resolved long-standing employment grievances which underpinned the industrial dispute.
Teachers across the country have been on strike since June last year over a range of remuneration issues. These included basic pay rates and remuneration entitlements for members who were principals and deputy principals and worked away from their home island or villages.
As part of the agreement, the government has budgeted VATU$4.2 billion (Approx US$34.7 million) to address issues.
Prime minister Jotham Napat said it was an investment in the "stability and quality" of Vanuatu's education system.
A special committee will also monitor remuneration issues as part of the new agreement.
Napat acknowledged delays in the resolution process.
In May, Vanuatu's Supreme Court ruled the teachers' industrial action legal. Despite that, ""it took another five months of intense work behind the scenes between [the Vanuatu Teachers' Union, the Teaching Service Commission], and the Ministry of Education to resolve some of the claims," he said.
The government stated the new agreement addressed payroll management, unpaid entitlements, and working conditions.
Vanuatu Teachers Union secretary general Jonathan Yona said it was victory for teachers and education.
"I am proud to witness the signing of this historic agreement," he said.
"We thank the government for its commitment to resolving our grievances and for recognizing the essential role of teachers in our society."