Exam markers go on strike

Lae News, Normal
Source:

GERALDINE VILAKIVA

TEACHERS marking the Grade Eight examination papers for Morobe province will not continue marking until their lunches and allowances are provided for.
Their sit-in protest started yesterday and will continue if their demands are not met by the provincial administration.
Markers expressed their disappointment at the way lunch arrangements and allowances were handled.
Several teachers said many of them travelled from rural areas such as Garaina, Finschhafen, Situm, Gabensis and Wau-Bulolo at their own expense to Lae for the marking, only to realise that they would not be paid allowances nor provided with lunch.
“Marking papers needs a lot of thinking and concentration and if they are not providing lunch how can they expect us to continue to mark papers on empty stomachs . . . we have already used our own money to travel to and fro to mark papers,” one frustrated teacher said.
According to a circular from the provincial administrative officer of education, Diana Tony, when the markings started on Tuesday, lunch for the markers would only be provided on  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the next two weeks.
The circular said it was part and parcel of their duties to mark papers and that lunch was complimentary.
The message was not received well by the markers who demanded to know if there was any budget allocated for the marking of examination papers.