‘Good conflict will arise,’ A&BUT president says as union marks 100 years

By Kisean Joseph

kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com

The President of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (A&BUT) has publicly called out the Director of Education over the deteriorating state of a secondary school that counts the Director among its most prominent alumni, warning that the union’s patience with the Ministry of Education is running out.

Casroy Charles delivered the pointed remarks during his State of the Union Address at the A&BUT’s Annual General Conference on Thursday during Teachers Week 2026 celebrations to mark the union’s 100th anniversary.

Charles told delegates that Ottos Comprehensive School, one of the largest secondary institutions on the island, is still waiting for a new wing that was pledged more than a decade ago, and that teachers are working in conditions that are “wholly inadequate”.

“Ottos Comprehensive is one of the largest secondary schools on island, an alma mater to prominent figures, including the current Director of Education,” Charles said. “Yet that noble institution awaits the promised new wing that was pledged to them more than a decade ago.”

He said teachers at the institution are still being asked to deliver 21st century education from what he described as 19th century classrooms, without the organisational support they deserve.

Charles was equally direct on the question of outstanding salary entitlements, presenting a list of payments he said the Ministry has failed to deliver, despite commitments from the Establishment Department, the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Prime Minister.

Among the outstanding matters he cited were the 2018 to 2024 Technical Vocational Allowance payments; the Teacher Upgrade Retroactive Payment covering 2020 to 2023; the Monthly Itinerant Teacher Allowance; retroactive payment for withheld COVID-19 salaries; and the Final Retroactive Payment Contribution for the period 2018 to 2023.

He said many teachers are still awaiting back pay that was promised no later than 30th April 2026, and that those who did receive payments are disputing the accuracy of the amounts.

Addressing the Minister of Education, the Permanent Secretary, and the Director directly, Charles called for immediate resolution of all outstanding remuneration matters and the establishment of transparent systems for verifying payments.

“Only then can dissatisfaction be reduced, trust restored, and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s reputation strengthened,” he said.

Charles pushed back firmly against any suggestion that teachers’ grievances are rooted solely in financial concerns.

“If you believe the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers and our nation’s teachers speak only of money, you are mistaken,” he said. “Note well, such a view is both disillusioned and de-sensitised to our teachers’ continued cries for relief from violation of their fundamental rights at work as guaranteed by local and international laws.”

He also questioned the Ministry’s record on school security, noting that six of 15 schools identified for security cameras installation remain without them, despite a promised completion deadline of March 2023. He called on the Ministry to ensure perpetrators face the full weight of the law when they violate school premises.

The address was not without acknowledgement of progress. Charles commended the Ministry of Education for settling retroactive payments for principals and deputy principals, covering travel and telephone allowances, completing most reclassification payments, and promoting and upgrading more than 500 teachers.

However, he made it clear that partial compliance is insufficient. “Good conflict will arise whenever teachers are denied their full entitlements in a timely manner,” he said.

Despite the sharp exchanges, Charles closed on a note of commitment, pledging that the A&BUT will continue working to make the educational system second to none and urging all stakeholders to pursue progress grounded in trust, accountability, and collective compliance.