Govt must assist universities with staff housing budget

 I WELCOME the announcement by Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology Delilah Gore of a committee that will review the salaries and conditions of staff of the four state universities.

It is timely so that the universities can adequately meet the ever-growing pressure for increasing enrolments and human resource needs in PNG. 

Furthermore, the emphasis on quality and quantity of graduates by the government also exerts pressure and demand for these state universities to recruit and maintain quality as well as highly qualified academic and professional staff. 

Over the years, the government has neglected addressing the employment conditions of academic staff. 

This was reflected in the annual budgets of universities where they had  not had any increment in their recurrent expenditure to address improvements and employment conditions of staff. 

Housing for staff continues to be a major problem for all state universities and this must be addressed by the committee. 

It must not only reinforce the urgent need to the government, but  also recommend solutions to the housing problem. 

Universities will continue to be denied quality professional staff as they cannot guarantee the provision of high standard housing. 

The universities are forced to pay higher commercial rent for staff  housing, impacting their recurrent expenditure budget. 

The  reality  is  that  potential academic staff are being recruited by the private sector and other government departments or are going overseas because universities cannot compete with the level of  salaries, housing and other entitlements offered by other opportunities locally or abroad. 

University of  Goroka is  addressing its housing needs. 

It  has requested from the state for K40 million for staff housing to this year’s budget, but has not received confirmation yet. 

Benais Sabumei

Goroka