Teachers finally get threshold payments
Thursday, 10th May 2001.
TEACHERS in Suffolk are finally reaping the benefit of payments due under the threshold pay scheme which the Government set up last year.
Around 800 teachers in the county were due to receive a lump sum of more than £1,300 through the Government scheme to reward teachers.
But due to the number of applications, which had to be individually processed, the payments were delayed.
Teachers in the county were expecting the money to come with their monthly pay at the end of April.
Bill Banks, assistant director of finance for Suffolk County Council, said the number of applications had delayed the process but payroll staff had been working round the clock to pay the money out by the end of the week.
Martin Goold, secretary for the Suffolk division of the National Union of Teachers, blamed the Government for introducing an impractical and bureaucratic scheme.
"The problem is that, because not all teachers get the threshold payment, payroll cannot programme the computer to treat all teachers the same. Each threshold 'pass' has to be entered individually," he said.
Teachers apply for the award themselves but have to meet certain conditions to qualify. They are usually expected to have around nine years' experience. After an assessment, the final decision rests with the school head.
Mr Goold said the whole system was wasteful and unfair.
"Instead of such a divisive measure, the Government should drop the threshold application 'test' and simply pay all teachers the professional rate for the job," he said.
Around 800 teachers in the county were due to receive a lump sum of more than £1,300 through the Government scheme to reward teachers.
But due to the number of applications, which had to be individually processed, the payments were delayed.
Teachers in the county were expecting the money to come with their monthly pay at the end of April.
Bill Banks, assistant director of finance for Suffolk County Council, said the number of applications had delayed the process but payroll staff had been working round the clock to pay the money out by the end of the week.
Martin Goold, secretary for the Suffolk division of the National Union of Teachers, blamed the Government for introducing an impractical and bureaucratic scheme.
"The problem is that, because not all teachers get the threshold payment, payroll cannot programme the computer to treat all teachers the same. Each threshold 'pass' has to be entered individually," he said.
Teachers apply for the award themselves but have to meet certain conditions to qualify. They are usually expected to have around nine years' experience. After an assessment, the final decision rests with the school head.
Mr Goold said the whole system was wasteful and unfair.
"Instead of such a divisive measure, the Government should drop the threshold application 'test' and simply pay all teachers the professional rate for the job," he said.
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