Teachers raise concerns over trial payment of salary backdate 2024-2025 set to roll this Thursday
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Teachers have raised serious concerns over the government’s decision to implement a trial payment of the long-awaited 7 percent salary backdate, with only a limited number of teachers expected to receive the payment in this week’s payday on 5 February 2026.
The issue follows a meeting last Thursday between the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) and the Solomon Islands Teachers’ Association (SINTA), where both parties confirmed that the 7 percent salary backdate would begin this week.
However, SINTA Secretary Robert Lafasi clarified that the payment scheduled for February 5 will only apply to a small group of teachers, as the process is being conducted as a trial run.
“The teachers’ salary backdate will be put on trial for first teacher’s payday this Thursday.
“After the trial, and once the system is properly set within the finance system, the full backdate payment will be rolled out to all teachers in the next payday,” Lafasi said.
He explained that MEHRD opted for a trial to minimise the risk of financial system errors before implementing the full payment.
“This trial will only apply to a few teachers selected by MEHRD,” he added.
Despite the explanation, several teachers who spoke to this paper expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement, arguing that the trial approach was never communicated previously and contradicts their understanding of the approved backdate payment.
“The government has already passed the budget for this backdate pay.
“That means the money is already there.
“We were never informed about any trial run.
“What we understood was that the payment would be rolled out to all teachers at the same time,” one teacher said.
Others warned that selective payment could create inequality and frustration among teachers who will miss out on this first payout.
“We all do the same work and should be treated equally. Some should not receive their backdate pay earlier while others wait.
“This arrangement affects those who are excluded, and we do not understand the motive behind it,” another teacher said.
Meanwhile, MEHRD and SINTA also confirmed during the meeting that work on teachers’ holiday package and housing assistance policies has been completed by the joint task force.
According to SINTA, both policies are now awaiting implementation timelines, with rollout targeted for 2027, while the TVET salary restructure is scheduled to be implemented in March this year.
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