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By ZACHERY PER
TEACHERS missing classes consecutively for three weeks in Eastern
Highlands province will be put off the payroll, provincial education
adviser Conrad Esoke has warned.
He confirmed hauling up teachers at pokies, bookmakers (horse racing)
and high-low gambling venues in Goroka and Kainantu towns during school
days and hours over the past months.
Mr Esoke said the provincial education board had no choice but to stop
the teachers from the education payroll.
“I call on parents, citizens and community leaders to report to me when
sighting teachers in wrong places during official hours,” he said.
Mr Esoke had told the Eastern Highlands provincial administrator Munare
Uyassi, divisional advisers and programme managers that he would take
such measures while receiving a new vehicle from the provincial
government last week.
He said with the new vehicle, his senior officers would be able to pay
regular visits to the schools to monitor and evaluate teacher’s
performances and also to make sure they are physically present in
schools teaching.
Mr Conrad told The National separately that teachers coming to the
provincial education office in Goroka should have a release note from
their respective head teachers.
“Teachers coming to the office during official hours without release
forms would be asked to fill out sick leave forms which would take
immediate effect in salary deductions,” he said.
Mr Esoke described education services in Eastern Highlands province as
front, middle and back pages, explaining the front page are schools in
towns and easily accessible areas, the middle page are those between the
districts and back page in the remote places.
He said problems such as teachers’ absenteeism, appalling transport
infrastructure and other associated problems had made the children in
the three categories not receiving equal education.
“My job as the education adviser in the province is to make these three
pages become one page, but I need cooperation from stakeholders,
especially leaders at the national, provincial and local level
governments to assist me,” Mr Esoke said.
He also thanked Mr Uyassi and the provincial management team for
purchasing the new vehicle that would be used to assist visiting
teachers to assess and evaluate their performances.
The implementation of the new education reform poses a lot of challenges
for them, reiterating for concerted efforts from stakeholders.
 
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