Problems soon to rest

NATIONAL Capital District and Central teachers at yesterday’s Parliamentary Referral Committee on Education (PRCE) inquiry in Port Moresby are hoping all their problems would end soon.
Teachers said the committee had given a light of hope to put all of their grievances in employment for the last 40 years to rest. 
They requested for relevant government departments and officers to provide background information and explanations relating to the disbursement of salaries and other entitlements for teachers.
They voiced their complaints – not different to those heard at other centres over the last couple of weeks.
The committee has been investigating complaints about teachers’ welfare such as leave fares, salary discrepancies, housing, postings and transfers and lack of equipment.
The committee started in Mt Hagen and moved to Goroka, Lae, Madang and Kokopo.
Goilala MP Daniel Mona, the deputy chairman of the committee, said he had not understood teachers’ issues until he was asked to work with the team.
He said teachers who were the face of government service were denied and neglected for “a very long time”.

“Some of the issues that teachers go through are unrealistic.”
 For example, most of them complain that their housing allowance is only K6-K7. 
He said the team was working in line with the inquiry’s terms of references regarding salary-related matters and would put together a report inquiries were completed and would present it on May 20.
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