Morobe teachers still irate over leave fares

Lae News, Normal

THE Papua New Guinea Teachers Association (PNGTA) Momase secretariat is up in arms over the non-payment of annual leave fares for teachers in the four provinces of the region.
The secretariat said the issue of teachers leave fares has been chronic and continuous with the provincial division of education in Lae.
Regional secretary Mathew Pobaya yesterday said the management of the division was not organised to plan and address the outstanding leave fare issues from 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Mr Pobaya said leave fares for the past three years were mishandled and did not comply with the Teaching Services Commission conditions of employment.
He said teachers and their families had been victimised by the ineffectiveness of the division of education in Lae.
The department through its education division, allocated more than K300,000 last year to clear 2007 outstanding leave fares.
This amount was K100,000 less than the K400,000 ordered to be paid by the National Court.
Mr Pobaya said according to records kept by the secretariat, the division still owes teachers more than K900,000 in leave fares for three years.
The secretariat suggested that the Morobe provincial administration carry out a full audit of payments for the teachers leave fares.
It had also recommended that the administration authorise a stop-payment on the noesis communication bank account immediately for further transactions.