Leave fares banked into accounts

 LEAVE fares for teachers in Western Highlands will now be deposited directly into their bank accounts, according to provincial education advisor Stanley Maip.

He said no third party would be engaged in the distribution of the money and arranging travel as was the practice in the past.

Maip said a substantial amount of money used to go missing along the way and teachers never received their full leave fare entitlements.

“Governor Paias Wingti wants teachers’ leave fares to go straight into their personal accounts,” he said.

He said the provincial government wanted to give special treatment to teachers in the province by ensuring that they received their leave fares on time and traveled to where ever they wished.

Meanwhile, he appealed to the parents to live and lead by example.

“Your children will follow you in whatever things you do. If f you steal, they will steal. If you play cards, they will do the same,” he said.

Maip said parents had a big responsibility to protect and guide their kids to be good citizens.

He said despite the provision of free education, it was sad to see school-aged children roaming on the streets or staying in their villages selling betel nuts and cigarettes.