Early warning to teachers

 By JENNIFER NKUI

THE education division in Bougainville has come down hard on teachers who missed classes last year and will continue to maintain the pressure this year, a senior official says.

Bougainville division of education acting chief executive  Michael Meten said at the beginning of each year, teachers were expected to fill in their resumption forms and hand them to the education office before March.

When teachers fail to fill resumption forms and hand them in on time, they face automatic suspension from the payroll.

“This automatic suspension policy was put in place to ensure that all teachers who are given appointments this year resume duties on time,” he said.

“Otherwise teachers will get paid for nothing.

“The reports that we get from schools about teachers’ unnecessary absences from classes force us to put them (teachers) on automatic suspension and off the payroll,” Meten said.

“Teachers are put back on payroll when they explain the reasons for missing classes and if their reasons are genuine. We do not necessarily put teachers off the payroll because we want to maintain all teachers on payroll.”

Head teacher Aloysia Nkui said if teachers did not want to be put off the payroll, they should attend classes. 

She said absenses from class affect students to an unknown extent with the effects are always negative.

Teachers will be resuming school in two weeks and Meten expects to see all Bougainville teachers resume on time.