No pay cut for teachers, chairman clarifies confusion

TEACHING Service Commission chairman Baran Sori clarified that there was no pay cut for teachers as assumed by some people.
Sori told a press conference yesterday in Port Moresby that teachers were receiving their normal base salary plus the three per cent increment for 2018.
He said because of financial constraints faced by the country in 2017, the commission and union agreed to make a one-off payment.
He said the implementation of the 2018 increment started on pay nine this year and ended on pay 21.
The 2019 increment has not been implemented that is why teachers are seeing a reduction in their salaries.
“Because of the financial situation the country is facing we agreed on a staggered payment over 13 fortnights, we have 26 fortnights in a year but to implement the 2018 increment we agreed to stagger it over 13 fortnights.
“In other words, teachers are getting two fortnight pays in one pay period over 13 pay periods.
“So the implementation of 2018 increment commenced on pay period nine of 2019 and ended on pay 21 of 2019.”