Habina and teachers

SCHOOLS in most remote areas in Papua New Guinea lack teachers’ commitment to live and teach there.
This in turn is affects the learning of students.
Habina Primary School in Lamari local level government, Obura-Wonenara in
Eastern Highlands is no exception.
Every year they face problems of teachers not remaining committed to teach for a whole year.
For almost 10 years now, teachers posted to the school teach for only term one, and are in towns and cities in the other terms waiting for their fortnightly wages.
Habina is accessible by land transport.
Teachers can have access to goods and services because Kainantu town is not far from school.
It is just a one-hour drive, otherwise, there are small shops everywhere in the villages.
I, as a concerned parent, am raising this issue because it has affected thousands of our children in the past and is still affecting them now.
This also results in higher illiteracy rates.
It has become a school culture for new teachers posted there to adopt to the system of missing classes.
Teachers from Habina also do other businesses during school hours and neglect the right of children to an education.
I believe this year we will have a committed and a qualified school head master.
That person will manage and monitor staff so that our children can be educated just like other nearby schools.
I am also calling on the district education administration to monitor the school this year and onwards.
Report anything relating to the above-mentioned issues to concerned authorities for appropriate action.
School inspector and the audit team can work together for the good of our students.
The school’s image itself requires development as well.
Development of classrooms and teachers’ houses is one factor contributing to such issues.

Concerned Parent
Habina