Teachers’ paid K15m in salaries

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Wednesday October 16th, 2013

 By ZACHERY PER

THE Education Department pays K15 million to teachers every fortnight, a senior education officer says.

Erama Ugaia, the assistant secretary at the salary section in the department, revealed this in Kundiawa, Chimbu, yesterday at the launch the Alesco payroll system for teachers.

He said the department paid out K15 million every fortnight and more than K400 million a year.

Ugaia said they were rolling out the payroll system for teachers’ salaries and allowances to the provinces.

First secretary corporate services Etwin Apai said there were 1.7 million students attending 15,000 schools. There are between 45,000 to 50,000 teachers.

She said the payroll system was to fix the teachers’ payroll and allowance problems.

Provincial education adviser Essy Walkaima thanked the national department for introducing the system in Chimbu.

Mai Primary School head teacher Michael Geregl raised concern over the heavy tax imposed on the teachers. He called for the tax to be reduced.