East Sepik govt working to get 1042 teachers back on payroll

By ERIC PIET
THERE are unresolved issues in the East Sepik education division which led to the non-payment of teachers’ wages last week, provincial administrator Dr Clement Malau says.
He blamed the education staff’s incompetency and the lack of commitment by teachers to their work as the two biggest problems.
He said new provincial education adviser Raymond Bakavi was addressing the problems.
The Teaching Service Commission said of the 11,011 teachers who did not get paid last Wednesday, 1042 were from East Sepik.
The Pay Office in Waigani is yet to receive their resumption of duty forms to confirm that they are back at work for Term One.
Malau also blamed the lack of a database, the failure to connect IT system postings and logistics.
“It is unacceptable that at this time and age we are unable to keep a database of all our teachers as to when they resume classes, when they get posted elsewhere or when new graduates take up posts,” he said.
“There are also logistic and human factors from the staff responsible for paperwork and the teachers. These are the major issues that caused this.”
Malau said the problems would take some time to fix.
“I have full confidence in Bakavi to fix these problems once and for all. Other sectorial heads have been tasked to iron out all issues that are becoming an obstacle in the province.”
Commission chairman Baran Sori earlier said the power to discipline provincial education officers for failing to send the duty resumption forms to the pay office on time belonged to the provincial administration.
Mongniol Primary School head teacher Clement Walama said 16 of the 32 teachers were affected.