Teachers' salaries: The myth and the fact

The distorted picture of teachers is getting even more twisted as time passes by.

I am referring to the statement made by the Ministry of Education itself (as reported in The Times, January 25) which claims that teachers (it generalised) today take home €22,027! I do not know how the ministry came to this conclusion. I have been working as a teacher for 16 years, receive a degree allowance of €467 a year and some €200 for supervision duties and I do not even gross the amount that the ministry claims, let alone take it home.

In fact, I have the P3 form to show that my net earnings were way less than €18,000! So how did the ministry come to its conclusion of €22,027?

The ministry has not as yet given me an answer.

No surprise, as it has not as yet answered the accusations of discrimination I made elsewhere. I can prove my claims. Can the ministry prove its own?

Still, could anyone at the ministry explain the discrepancy between the reality of my take-home income and what is claimed in the reported statement of January 25?

I hope the ministry is right because that would mean I am being underpaid by some €4,000. Can I expect a cheque in the mail any time soon?