New bans for teachers next year

TEACHERS will be banned from smoking, chewing betelnut and drinking beer on school grounds starting next year.
Education Minister James Marape said teachers were role models for children and should not practice these bad habits in front of them.
Mr Marape issued this direction at the closing of the 2009 national education conference at the University of Goroka (UOG) last night.
“Teachers are very important in the lives of young children, they are role models for students, I call on them to be responsible in their attitudes as of next year,” he said.
He said chewing betelnut, smoking and consuming alcohol in any school premises in PNG would be forbidden.
The Highlands regional leader for the National Alliance party also called on parents of students at all levels to become partners of the education system.
“I call on every parent to support the school create conducive environment for their children to get good education,” Mr Marape said.
He thanked Education secretary Dr Joseph Pagelio and UOG
Vice-Chancellor Dr Gairo Onagi for jointly staging a successful conference.
Mr Marape also thanked every participant, organisation and individual that participated.
Goroka MP Thompson Harokaqveh, who closed the conference,  commended the
positive approach the Education Department and UOG had taken to run the conference to help improve the delivery of education services to the people.