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Chaos seen on school opening
By PIUS MON
MORE than 1,500 teachers in Western
Highlands province could be stranded due to sudden changes in
assignments, thus disrupting the coming school opening.
With only two weeks remaining before this year’s opening, most teachers
are likely to be affected by the posting changes.
Aita Sanangkepe, Mt Hagen branch president of PNG Teachers Association,
told The National yesterday the recent postings were neither approved
nor endorsed by the provincial education board (PEB).
He alleged that one man made the appointments without approval from the
selection panel or the appointment committee.
Mr Sanangkepe said under the Teaching Service Commission Act,
appointments in schools are done only by a selection panel or
appointment committee for PEB’s approval.
He said correct procedures were not followed as PEB’s legally
established committees such as appointing committee, leave fare
entitlement committee and other powers were dissolved by the PEB
chairman.
The disgruntled teachers were anticipating to meet with the
administrator tomorrow at the provincial headquarters, Kapal Haus, to
settle the issue.
But assistant Secretary for Education Leo Noki said proper procurers had
been followed in the postings of teachers for the province.
He said two types of selection on teachers were used and were done
through proper channels.
The first process, he said, was through the vacancy gazette whereby
teachers applied for vacant positions and the PEB appointment committee
which screens applicants and recommends to the Teaching Service
Commission for approval.
In the second procedure, teachers were posted through the acting
appointments and the PEB committee did this, Mr Noki said.
He said the PNG Teachers Association was involved in making decisions on
both matters, and that it was not a one-man decision.
Regarding teachers’ leave fares, Mr Noki said, the provincial government
had made available K1.5 million and out of that, K1.3 million was used
to settle teachers leave fares.
Mr Noki said the remaining K200,000 was returned to the provincial
treasury.
He explained that there was no PEB in place at the moment as the term of
the old PEB expired last March.
Mr Noki said he was the other caretaker-manager for PEB.
He added that the new PEB appointed by the provincial executive council
was challenged in the court by the PNGTA Mt. Hagen branch, and that case
was still pending.
 
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