PRB 2026: Suttyhudeo Tengur Discusses a 'Double Salary Injustice' Towards Primary Educators

In a statement issued on Saturday, December 20, Suttyhudeo Tengur commented on the Pay Research Bureau (PRB) report for 2026, which was made public on Friday, December 19. As a negotiator for the Government Hindi Teachers' Union (GHTU), he argues that the PRB 2026 report perpetuates a double salary injustice against primary educators. Tengur claims that not only have the existing salary discrepancies with nurses and police officers been maintained, but the PRB has also denied salary parity with secondary educators, despite repeated and well-reasoned demands.

“The figures are telling: a primary educator starts at around 30,000 rupees and caps at about 54,000 rupees, while a secondary educator benefits from a significantly higher salary scale, with ceilings exceeding 75,000 rupees, according to the PRB 2026 benchmarks. This refusal of parity denies the fundamental role of primary education. Primary educators today bear comparable, if not greater, pedagogical, social, and administrative responsibilities: implementing curricular reforms, managing inclusive education, providing individualized student follow-up, increased administrative loads, and constant pressure on academic results. Yet, their contributions remain undervalued,” emphasized Suttyhudeo Tengur.

According to him, the PRB 2026 has taken refuge behind outdated historical relativities, failing to recognize that the entire educational journey relies on the strength of primary education. By refusing parity with secondary education, the report institutionalizes the notion that fundamental education is a second-tier function, which is unacceptable, according to the GHTU negotiator.

Primary educators do not challenge the achievements of other professional bodies. They simply demand equal recognition with their secondary colleagues and a fair revision of existing salary discrepancies. Maintaining these disparities fuels demotivation, exacerbates the shortage of teachers, and undermines the educational system in the long term.

Through their union voice, primary educators are calling for an urgent revision of the PRB 2026, recognition of parity with secondary education, and a fair, coherent, and respectful salary policy aligned with the national mission of primary education.

It is important to note that the PRB report addresses salary structures, classifications, and service conditions in the public sector, including the civil service, parastatal bodies, and other statutory instances, local authorities, the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, as well as private secondary schools.