Madang teachers to quit teaching over outstanding leave fares

By DOROTHY MARK
TEACHERS in Madang have resolved to quit teaching next year after the Government failed to pay outstanding leave fares of more than K4 million.
The PNG Teachers’ Association Madang branch president Remsy Oss told a media conference after the teachers’ meeting yesterday that 700 teachers entitled to get their leave fares were promised by the provincial government and administration to have what owed to them facilitated when government accounts opened this year.
But the year ended without a fulfilment of that, he said.
He said this year 500 teachers were entitled to K3.7 million and they were still waiting.
“We have suggested two options, one is to take the Government to court and the other is to quit teaching in 2019 and demand for our outstanding leave fares,” Oss said.
Madang education director Moses Sariki said all documents were compiled and provided to the provincial administration and government for the outstanding leave fares for 2017 but he did not know why there were no funds available.
Sariki said for this year, the Government had released funds very late so teachers would expect their leave fares paid into their bank accounts by Friday.
He said of the K3.7 million expected, only K600,000 was made available for the purpose.
“That is 20 per cent of the expected total funding the teachers have been looking forward to,” Sariki said.
Sariki said each teacher entitled for leave would be getting about one third or a quarter of the total leave fare he or she was entitled to.
Madang acting administrator John Bivi has given indication he will assist with part payment of the 2017 outstanding leave fares for the teachers.