News Archive

Teachers get 2.3% Salary Increase

INTO and colleague unions have been successful in getting a 2.3% pay rise from 1 September 2009, in line with teachers in GB. A further 2.3% will be awarded to teachers on 1 September 2010.

The resulting amended teachers’ salary scales can be found here. Not withstanding these salary increases, in a inflationary period, teachers’ salaries in Northern Ireland are 15% lower than their colleagues in the Republic of Ireland. The School Teachers' Review Body, which advises the government on pay has indicated that it will look at the introduction of regional pay from next year and is also recommending that,“new financial and other incentives and measures to improve the quantity and quality of the supply of mathematics teachers.... be considered."

Interestingly a “golden handcuff” deal worth £10,000 will be introduced in England and Wales next month to work at challenging secondary schools.

The money is available to teachers’ if they stay for three years at schools that are either in the National Challenge- were fewer than 30% of pupils achieve five good GCSEs including English and Maths- or were more than 40% of the children get free school meals.

The government has estimated that this will benefit up to 6,000 new appointments in 500 schools in England and Wales.

INTO has written to Education Minister Caitriona Ruane, to establish whether this additional incentive will apply to similar schools in Northern Ireland.

Frank Bunting September 2009

Date: Tuesday, 8 September 09