Teachers fail to get union’s support

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
TEACHERS in Western Highlands who have threatened to walk off their jobs after the first term holiday are not being supported by their union.
Papua New Guinea Teachers Association provincial branch president Aita Sanangkepe said last Thursday the association was not told of the strike and would not support the action initiated by the teachers.
Sanangkepe said some teachers had formed a group called “Teachers’ rights movement” and conducted forums in the city.
He said the teachers had the right to express their views and concerns regarding their salary and welfare but they must follow correct procedures.
Sanangkepe said parents were paying high school fees and any teacher walking off the job, “would be doing it of their own free will and would face any consequence that may come later”.
He said the association was the only recognised mouth piece to fight for the rights of teachers.
He said the teachers’ call for a pay increase was being looked at by the Department of Personnel Management, Teachers Service Commission and Trade Union Congress.
He said the government would increase the salary of all public servants by 7.5% and there was no need for teachers to “walk off their jobs and jeopardise the learning of innocent students”.
Sanangkepe said he would conduct an annual general meeting in Mt Hagen next Friday and urged concerned teachers to come forward with their concerns and the association would take it up with the proper authorities.
He said walking off their jobs would not help solve their problems and would only create more problems for them.