GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta has pledged to raise the salaries of teachers to encourage more local residents to consider a career in education.
Babauta said the salary hike for teachers is part of the Governor’s Education Initiative that he will implement during his four-year term.
“We’re going to raise salaries for teachers. We’re going to give teachers a tax credit for the books and materials they buy for their classrooms,” Babauta told a group of students during a recent function.
“I hope this new focus on giving teachers respect and resources will encourage some of you to become teachers,” he added.
The governor also announced that he will introduce a new grant program called Performance Improvement Grants which would allow qualified recipient to receive up to $25,000 in grants every year.
He said the grant would be available to “people with good ideas” who also want to improve their academic performance. Mini-grants would be available to both students and teachers
“Maybe a science classroom needs a new microscope or there’s a need for laptops. Maybe a guest artist could be brought in to share his techniques or inspire creativity. Maybe there are kids in class who need special care and just can’t afford it. The possibilities are endless,” the governor said.
The Performance Improvement Grants, according to the governor, will not be given out by politicians or bureaucrats but rather by a peer review panel composed of students and teachers who will determine if the applicant is worthy of the grant.
The governor described the grant as “an experiment” designed to allow the people in the education system to “make a difference” in their schools.
The salaries of Public School System teachers have not been increased since 1998. .
