Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140) - Guyana (Ratification: 1983)

Article 2 of the Convention. Formulation and application of a policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave. In its previous comment, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the formulation and implementation, in collaboration with the social partners, of measures to promote the granting of paid educational leave for the purpose of training at any level, as well as for general, social, civil and trade union education, and to communicate the texts in which the policy was expressed. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there are no further steps to report in that regard and that it will endeavour to bring the matter before the National Tripartite Committee (NTC). The Government nevertheless points out that a circular was adopted back in 2017 which provides that public servants with over five years of continuous service may be granted paid study leave for pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Government also underlines that the Public Service Ministry adopted a scholarship policy in 2018 which sets a decision-making process for the granting of scholarships, and which states that public servants who are granted scholarships may be considered for study leave in accordance with the above-mentioned 2017 circular. Furthermore, the Government reiterates that, in the private sector, companies design their arrangements and policies regarding paid educational leave in consultation with workers’ organizations. The Committee recalls that the principal obligation of the Convention, as outlined in Article 2, is to formulate and apply a policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave to a worker for educational purposes for a specified period, during working hours, for the purpose of: training at any level; general, social and civil education; and trade union education. The Committee further recalls that such a policy presupposes that the public authorities decide upon a specific course of action that necessarily involves authorities and bodies for a certain length of time (1991 General Survey on Human resources development, paragraph 327). Regarding the announced reform of the Guyanese labour legislation, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that it is still underway, and that the ILO is providing technical assistance in that regard. The Committee also notes that the announced review of the Guyanese apprenticeship system is also still in progress, and that an evaluation report was completed which is attached to the Government’s report. Recalling that the Committee has been calling the Government’s attention to the need to effectively implement Article 2 of the Convention for several years, the Committee expresses the hope that the Government will provide in its next report detailed information on progress achieved in the formulation and application of a policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave for the purpose of training at any level, in the various areas prescribed by the Convention, both in the public and in the private sector.Noting that the reform of the Guyanese labour legislation is still in progress, the Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the new legislation once adopted and to provide information on amendments made to the labour legislation relevant to matters covered under the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to provide updated information on amendments to the apprenticeship system which are relevant to matters covered under the Convention.

Article 6. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee recalls that, in its comments made between 2002 and 2020, it repeatedly requested the Government to describe the manner in which it fulfilled the obligation, as set out in Article 6 of the Convention, to ensure that employers’ and workers’ organizations, and institutions or bodies providing education and training, are associated with the formulation and application of the policy for the promotion of paid educational leave. In its previous comment, made in 2022, the Committee took note of the Government’s indication that it intended to place the issue of the promotion of paid education leave before the National Tripartite Committee (NTC), and requested the Government to provide detailed updated information on the content, frequency and outcomes of the tripartite consultations held within the NTC regarding matters covered under the Convention. The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s latest report indicates that such matters were not discussed at the NTC, and stresses once again that Article 6 of the Convention requires employers’ and workers’ organizations, and institutions or bodies providing education and training to be associated with the formulation and application of the national policy for the promotion of paid educational leave. The Committee therefore requests the Government to make all necessary arrangements to enable the participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations and institutions providing education or training in the formulation and application of the national policy for the promotion of paid educational leave.

Application of the Convention. Part V of the report form. The Committee notes that the report still does not contain statistical information on the number of workers who benefited from paid educational leave during the reporting period. The Government indicates that efforts are being made to gather such statistical data. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee recalls that, in order to enable it to assess fully the effect given to the Convention, it is necessary for it to have available information on its application in practice, including the available statistics on the number of workers in the public and private sectors who are granted paid educational leave, as well as reports, studies and inquiries on the activities of technical institutions and bodies engaged in the provision of vocational education, training and guidance. The Committee therefore reiterates, once again, its request to the Government to provide information on the manner in which the Convention is applied, including, extracts from reports, studies and surveys, as well as statistics disaggregated by age and sex on the number of workers who have benefited from paid educational leaves during the period covered by the report.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.