In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Hon. Jotham Napat addressed the ongoing teachers’ strike, assuring the nation that the government is committed to resolving the issue and welcoming teachers back into classrooms by the end of August.

The strike involves members of the Vanuatu Teachers Union (VTU), who are demanding the signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) before resuming work. Their actions stem from claims that some teachers have not been paid and are seeking formal recognition of their entitlements through the agreement.

Prime Minister Napat said the government has already resolved a large number of the outstanding claims. He stated, “On the issue of the teachers who went on strike, the government has already sorted out many of their claims. Any claim that is justified and legal, the government will take care of it.”

He also confirmed that the government is actively working with the VTU to finalise the CBA. “We are negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and once we agree on the terms, the government will sign it. This is to make sure what happened does not repeat itself, which caused a significant loss to our children’s education,” he said.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the goal is to sign the agreement and ensure all teachers return to classrooms before the end of August.