‘Nepotism affecting schools in East Sepik’

NEPOTISM is affecting the performance of teachers and students in East Sepik province.
Suspended Wewak district administrator John Amos said a group claiming to be members of the Provincial Education Board (PEB) was allegedly making the selections and appointments of teachers as well as other decisions relating to education in the province.
Mr Amos said: “This group of non-PEB members is affecting the performance of teachers in schools, resulting in not many of our students making it through to colleges and universities in Papua New Guinea.
“Basically, the indicators and level of education in the province has dropped and gone from bad to worse.
“Nepotism, malpractice in the appointment of teachers is really affecting the morale of teachers and standard of education.”
He also alleged that the group was involved in the down-grading of levels of schools such as Mongniol Primary school from level seven to level aix so that a level five teacher “whom they know”, would take up posting at the school.
Mr Amos said another case was of Haiwaien Vocational centre, 12km out of Wewak which was a level six school with 19 teachers. However, the committee retained only six teachers and displaced the others.
“Despite this, the school was still level six and this is totally against the TSC Act,” he said.
Mr Amos urged the provincial administrator and the Teaching Service Commission, PEB and the governor of the province to investigate his claims of nepotism.
The Provincial Programme adviser Paias Munkaje could not be reached to verify or comment on Mr Amos’ claims.