Delays raise more worries over teachers’ postings

National

EAST Sepik Catholic education secretary Anastasia Tia is concerned that teachers’ postings in the province next year will be affected because of delays.
She said the teachers’ postings should have been done last Friday but due to some issues with the provincial education board, the process was delayed.
“The approval of our recommendations regarding the teachers’ postings in the province was supposed to be done last Friday but it was not due to some issues with the provincial education board,” Tia said.
She added that this issue has been an ongoing problem in the province over the years.
“Most years, teachers are paid on acting positions which is not right.”
Tia said teachers applied for positions advertised in the education gazette and “when they do so, we make recommendations for their tenures and once approved by the provincial education board, this allows them to be paid on their substantive levels,” she said.
“All these will come to reality when postings proceed and finish on time for the provincial education committee to recommend teachers and the provincial education board approves and does posting for teachers to schools around the province.”
Tia added that the posting date was supposed to be on Oct 27 but they had gone past that date already and were running late and that would affect the teachers.
“Teachers will lose their right to their substantive levels; it will affect their salaries and their tenures.”
She said this has been an ongoing issue in the province were teachers have been posted here and there by people in the education office because there was no gazette.
“Now that the gazettes are out, it gives the teachers the privilege to apply for positions that they are qualified for.”
Tia said teachers have already applied for positions advertised in the gazette and her office made recommendations to the provincial education board which has yet to give its approval for the postings.