Education stakeholders continue to weigh in on the October 13 budget presentation, which saw education and training receive the highest allocation of $8.766 billion in the 2025-2026 budget.

Incumbent TT Unified Teachers’ Association president Martin Lum Kin commented specifically on the announcement regarding wage negotiations to public servants, via a WhatsApp message on October 14.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo said the Prime Minister instructed him to advise the Chief Personnel Officer to submit a revised offer of ten per cent for the periods of 2014-2016 and 2017-2019. He said government would ratify the collective agreement signed in 2025 between the CPO and respective associations, unions and committees of the members of the teaching service, the defence force and the Port of Spain and San Fernando City Corporations.