Aruba celebrated a historic milestone with the implementation of Phase 1 of the salary restructuring for the education sector. Prime Minister Mike Eman emphasized the importance of recognizing hard work—especially when it is in service of the nation—and ensuring fair compensation for teachers.
Eman also highlighted the pensioners who received well-deserved adjustments along with additional compensation provided by the government. All these measures reflect the commitment to distributing salaries fairly among everyone who contributes to the country.
Reaching this achievement was not easy—it took thirty years to finally arrive at this moment. The Prime Minister congratulated Minister of Education Gerlien Croes and the unions for their persistence in securing this long-awaited salary reform, noting that today marks a truly historic accomplishment.
“I am extremely happy for our school teachers,” Eman stated.
Given the sacrifices and challenges the community has endured, the government remains committed to improving the quality of life for every citizen and ensuring fairness for all. The goal is for the next generation to no longer face the same struggles simply to get by. Education, he stressed, is the key to creating real change.
To guarantee that future generations can overcome these challenges, Aruba must ensure access to quality education—and that requires properly compensating teachers.
The Minister of Education, together with the unions SIMAR, TOPA, and SEPPA, successfully reached this agreement. The achievement was made possible thanks to the financial flexibility created by Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever. Symbolically, the declaration was signed at the historic Algemene Rekenkamer building, which was Aruba’s first public school.
The signing stands as a powerful symbol of the AVP-Futuro Cabinet’s commitment to advancing Aruba’s development through education. With the approval of the 2026 Budget, this reform will become official.
Congratulations to Aruba and to all teachers who witnessed history being made today.
Photo Credits : https://diario.aw/categories/noticia/general/prome-minister-mike-eman-ta-aplaudi-restructuracion-salarial-pa-maestronan
