Bahamians do not need more talk from this government. They need action. And right now, no group deserves action more than the men and women who stand in our classrooms every day: our teachers.
For months, teachers across The Bahamas have waited for the salary increases this government promised in September. They have waited for the allowances owed to them since July. They have waited for a sign that the Davis administration actually values their service. Instead, when over one thousand teachers stayed home this week to demand what they are owed, the Prime Minister dismissed their frustration as “grandstanding,” showing no understanding of the real hardship these educators face every day.
The average teacher earns about $39,000 a year, roughly $800 a week. According to the University of The Bahamas, the true living wage in New Providence is $2,625 a month, and in Grand Bahama, $3,550. That means many teachers, the same professionals who spend their days educating our children, are struggling just to stay afloat. They are juggling rising rents, high energy bills, and mounting grocery costs. These are not luxuries they’re fighting for. They are fighting to live with dignity.
And now, teachers have warned that if their back pay and promised raises are not finalised soon, they are prepared to organise a national walkout. Imagine that our classrooms, empty not by choice, but because those who fill them have been left with no choice.
The truth is, when a government fails its teachers, it fails its country. Every nation rises or falls on the strength of its classrooms. Teachers are not just educators; they are mentors, protectors, and builders of the next generation. They mold the thinkers, innovators, and leaders who will shape The Bahamas for decades to come. Their work is national service in its purest form. And yet, under this government, that service has been met with broken promises and bureaucratic neglect.
If the government has corrected a procedural glitch in the system or sorted out the technical obstacle to payment, then now that they have fixed it, they should pay. If that is truly the case — that it is not a cash flow problem — the question must be asked whether they ever intended to honour what they promised.
The Free National Movement stands shoulder to shoulder with our teachers, and with every public servant who keeps this country running. We will continue to speak up for fair wages, safe schools, and timely payments. We will continue to insist that public workers be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. When teachers succeed, students thrive. When teachers are supported, our entire nation grows stronger.
The PLP can try to spin this as politics. It is not. It is about fairness, decency, and priorities. The Free National Movement will keep pressing for what is right because we understand that the strength of The Bahamas begins in the classroom. And until this government delivers on its word, we will not be silent. ## END ###