Call to put teachers on payroll

PAPUA New Guinea teachers association (PNGTA) in Western Highlands, wants the provincial education board (PEB) to address the auto suspension of 354 teachers.
The association’s branch president John Yaga said 53 elementary, 201 primary and 91 secondary school teachers were affected.
He claimed that the PEB was to blame for the auto suspension because teachers were not given teaching positions earlier.
Yaga claimed that the PEB had breached the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act (1998), section (24), sub – section (1) by not giving the training officers a teaching position.
He said the TSC Act stated that a trained officer should be given the position but the PEB failed and that led to the auto suspensions.
Yaga said since teachers were facing auto suspension, students’ education was becoming a concern.
“We believe the PEB is the cause of the problem over the years because it continues to breach the TSC Act,” he said.
“The auto suspension would not have been imposed if the PEB had given positions to serving officers.
“This is affecting students’ education and destroying the standard of education in the province.
“Even teachers’ first posting and review posting are delayed every year due to unknown reasons.
“Is this happening in Western Highlands alone or is it also happening in other provinces?”
He said serving-teachers should be given positions and that should prevent the auto suspension which would lead to jeopardising student’s education.
“Does the PEB have plans to address these issues and find ways to help the innocent students whose education are affected?” Yaga asked.
Yaga said the PNGTA and TSC should work together to address this issue, setting aside their differences.
“Western Highlands has so many high schools, however, they lack the quality in teaching staff, learning resources and school facilities,” Yaga said.
“Quantity should come with quality to boost learning and growth, this would happen once PEB and teachers work together.”