Arore plans for standard salary system

 A STANDARD salary system will be structured and implemented in government universities, Higher Education Minister David Arore says. 

Arore told Parliament yesterday that a working team had been established within the department to look into constructing a uniform salary-based system for professors and lecturers in government universities.

Arore was responding to questions by Bouganville MP Joe Lera on the dual system used by the universities that had national lecturers and professors paid differently from expatriates. 

Arore said the system had caused “brain-drain” with less dedication given to quality teaching because national lecturers and professors were underpaid. 

He said universities had different laws and the department was looking at creating a standard system. 

“The universities have their own Acts and professors and lecturers are paid differently because of these different levels. Under these Acts they have their own salary-based structures and as such the dual salary system differs,” Arore said. 

“I have established a working team which is working tirelessly on a salary structure and the level of salary to make it symmetrical or uniformed across the board.” 

“I assure the Parliament and everyone that once this structure is done I will present it to the cabinet and inform all about this system,” Arore said.