Teachers advised not to agree to reductions in overtime allowance

The Teachers’ Association of Maldives has advised teachers not to sign the notice sent by the Ministry of Education regarding a new policy on reducing overtime allowance.

A fax message sent to schools by the ministry last Sunday states that the amount allocated in this year’s budget as overtime allowance for teachers is 1.87 percent of employees’ salaries.

Education Ministry has informed schools of a formula to be applied when using the limited funds allocated in the state budget for teachers’ overtime allowance.

The ministry said in its notice that the monthly overtime payments should be two percent of the salary code, and notified schools to obtain employees’ consent for this policy.

President of Teachers’ Association of Maldives Athif Abdul Hakeem told Sun Online that reductions in overtime allowance is not a reason to complain, and that teachers have served the country even when overtime allowance was lower than the amount being suggested now.

Athif said that Teachers’ Association’s concern is that Education Ministry has notified schools to notify teachers to act against the Employment Act and the Civil Service Regulation.

Article 53 of the Employment Act states that no employer shall do anything which may prove a direct or indirect obstacle to any benefit accruable to the employee, or do anything which is an obstacle to the employee’s freedom of action in connection with his wages.

Athif said that the ministry’s effort to obtain employees’ consent for reducing overtime allowance are irresponsible, and that it cannot notify schools to implement a formula on overtime payments.

He said that article 60 (e) of the Civil Service Regulation describes the policy on overtime compensation, and that the ministry cannot notify schools to violate that policy.

Teachers’ Association said in a statement released in this regard, that it strongly condemns the ministry’s notice, which should be void as it violates that Employment Act.

Education Minister Dr Asim Ahmed said earlier that an additional MVR 124 million is required in order to pay the salaries of the employees in the education sector.