Education officials blamed for teachers’ pay problem

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
THE education division in the country’s biggest province is still awaiting updates on teachers from school inspectors and education managers to be sent to the Waigani pay office.
Head of the education division in Morobe Keith Jiram was responding to concerns over the delay in submitting resumption of duty forms for teachers to Waigani, resulting in the docking of their pay starting last week.
More than 11,000 teachers were taken off the payroll because their resumption of duty forms had not reached Waigani by the deadline last week.
The majority of teachers affected are from Morobe (1439).
Jiram blamed the inspectors and education managers for delaying the process.
Morobe has more than 7000 registered teachers, nine district education managers and 22 school inspectors in its nine districts.
“One (reason) is because of the (delay in the) update from the district education managers and school inspectors. The other is because of the borrowed teaching positions,” he said.
“The setback is that we are waiting for the district education managers and inspectors to give us the progressive update for February and March so that we can make adjustments accordingly and get teachers restored on the payroll.”
The “borrowed positions” relate to teachers posted to schools approved by the provincial education board but yet to be registered with the education department.
“There is a high number of schools in operation in Morobe in 2016, 2017 and 2018 but are waiting to be registered,” Jiram said.
“These schools serve a large population in rural areas where there is a need for education.
“Teachers are sent to the schools to teach but can only be put on the payroll if the school is registered.”
Meanwhile, Teaching Service Commission chairman Baran Sori said only the provincial administrations had the power to discipline education officers not doing their duties.