Teachers back in class but threat still looms

By ERIC PIET
TEACHERS will execute normal second term duties according to the academic calendar, but a threat to withdraw their service remains and would be lifted if the State fail to honour the three per cent pay rise, according to the PNG Teachers’ Association.
Term two started yesterday and most teachers were in the classrooms.
Association general-secretary Ugwalubu Mowana told The National yesterday that the decision was reached following a provision of pay schedule to PNGTA by the State, which had been factored in the payroll from this week.
“We reached the decision because our threat to disrupt the beginning of term two was stagnated by the fact that as we were talking about the one lump sum payment for the outstanding 3 per cent salaries for teachers,” he said.
“The State went ahead and gave us the payment schedule, such that before we could ask for variations they already factored it into the payroll starting this week.
“So if we go on strike this week, the State will say ‘but we are already paying you’.
“As such we have decided to advise all our teachers in the country to maintain the normal execution of service.”
Mowana, however, said that their threat for a strike to withdraw the service of teachers anytime this year remained.