Vanuatu
Vanuatu's teachers are set to return to classrooms next year following a new collective bargaining agreement reached between their union and the government.
The government announced the agreement on December 22, 2025, resolving long-standing employment grievances that led to an 18-month strike.
Teachers had been on strike since June 2024 over issues including basic pay rates and remuneration entitlements for principals and deputy principals working away from their home regions.
As part of the agreement, the government has allocated VTà.2 billion (approximately US$34.7 million) to address these issues.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat described the settlement as an investment in the stability and quality of Vanuatu's education system.
A special committee will monitor remuneration issues under the new agreement.
Vanuatu Teachers Union Secretary General Jonathan Yona hailed the agreement as a victory for teachers and education, thanking the government for recognizing the essential role of teachers in society.
