Teachers deserve better treatment

 THE 2014 school year for national curriculum schools starts on February 3 and already the usual start-up problems have returned to haunt teachers who are expected to resume duties next Monday.

Reports from Madang indicate that hundreds of teachers are being affected by issues related to the delay in their postings.

With classes starting in less than two weeks, teachers in Madang and many other provinces are still in the dark about where they will be posted and which schools they will be teaching in this year.

Teachers in Madang packed the provincial education office yesterday complaining about the delay in their postings. 

Their colleagues in other provinces are probably doing the same.

It seems that provincial education authorities have learnt little or nothing from last year when the teachers complained about the same issues that were hindering a smooth start to the school year.

Delayed notices of teacher postings and delayed Grade Nine selection lists seem to be major administrative hassles for provincial education authorities. 

They never seem to get these issues sorted out well before the school year starts.

Do they have the capacity and capability to manage these issues? 

It seems not because the same problems keep appearing at the start of every school year.

The O’Neill Government has maintained education as a key priority with sufficient funding for its free education policy and other initiatives.

However, the successful implementation of these policies and programmes depend on the public servants such as provincial education officials. 

If they do not have the capability and capacity to fulfil their roles and responsibilities then the Government’s policies and programmes will not be implemented, which will result in the delays in teacher postings and other issues that affect the education of our children.   

As former Madang teacher Mark Anton lamented, these problems prompted him to give up a most noble profession.

“Teachers posting is yet to be released, Grade Nine selection lists are yet to be put out and teachers are facing problems in getting their payslips. 

The Madang education office has got itself confused,” Anton said.

Despite an assurance by the provincial education office that teacher postings and Grade Nine selection lists would be released this week, there is still no guarantee that these issues will be resolved before teachers begin work next Monday.  

Furthermore, teachers and parents want to know if their children are going to high school so they can make preparations in advance.

They need to apply for loans to pay the additional fees and other costs of high school education. 

They cannot do that if the provincial education authorities continue to keep them in the dark.

“Teachers want to know if our children will continue so we can apply for school fee loans but the education office has been delaying the issuing of our pay slips,” an irate female teacher said.

She said the officials blamed the delay on a breakdown in the computer system, which could not print the pay slips. Another female teacher said they were asked to pay K3 for printing of their pay slips.

This is outrageous. These public servants seem to be making excuses for their laziness and inefficiencies as well as asking for payment for a government service that is supposed to be free of charge. They should be reprimanded.

Government teachers are among the hardest working public servants in this country and must be accorded the full benefits as well the respect they deserve.

To treat then with disrespect and contempt is uncalled for and the National Education Department must intervene and rein in the Madang education officials who are giving them the runabout.

As the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has stated, 2014 will indeed be the year of implementation and he expects the record national budget to be fully implemented.

Education has again received one of the largest budget allocations but these funds must be put to good and proper use through the efficient and effective implementation of the plans and programmes.

Unless this is done, little will be achieved by the year’s end.