Government teachers in Samoa have received the first seven percent of their 21 percent salary increase.
The first payment was paid out last week.
The full increase will be paid out within three years however the opposition Tautua Samoa party has called the government decision political bait for the teachers before next year's election.
Opposition leader Palusalue Faapo II says the government should have paid the full 21 percent instead of making part payments because teachers have been waiting too long.
The opposition leader says many government teachers have retired and several had passed away before the increase.
But the CEO of the Ministry of Education Matafeo Falana'ipupu Tanielu Aiafi says the decision was made to pay out the increase over three years because the ministry has limited funds.
