For the first time, eligible ancillary workers in Saint Lucia’s education system are receiving salaries during the summer break, ending a longstanding income gap for cooks, janitors, daily paid workers and staff attached to Early Childhood Development Centres.
The milestone was marked during a ceremony at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre praised the workers for their contribution to the education system, describing their continued service as a demonstration of “personal responsibility” and commitment to Saint Lucia.
Pierre acknowledged that their work deserves greater compensation, saying, “We can never pay you enough for cleaning the washrooms,” while stressing that government “can only pay you what the country can afford.”
Minister in the Ministry of Education Danny Butcher, who described himself as “the son of a janitor,” said he understands “what it means when the livelihood of a family depends on a paycheck coming at the end of a month.” He described the decision to extend salaries through the summer as one requiring “political strength” and “political fortitude,” stressing that workers would benefit regardless of their political affiliation.
Education Minister Kenson Casimir said the payments form part of a wider package of measures being implemented across the education sector despite challenging global economic conditions.
Casimir pointed to rising fuel prices and wider international financial pressures, saying the Government’s ability to find the necessary resources “speaks volumes about what’s happening in this country.” He also announced that laptops for Form 1 students are already on island and programmed, with every Form 1 student expected to receive a new device during the first week of school.
According to Casimir, EC$500 bursaries have been paid to students entering secondary school, while book bursaries have been provided to primary school students.
Funding has also been secured to employ 10 additional counsellors within the school system, while Casimir said every school now has either a principal, assistant or secretary to provide administrative support.
The Minister further announced that every Early Childhood Development Centre will receive EC$3,000 towards its operations during the first week of September.
