Teachers’ leave fares to be processed: Official

THE Morobe education division is confident of procuring teachers’ leave fares without a hiccup this year after resolving issues, chairman Andrew Gena says.
He said it cost about K6.7 million to repatriate 947 teachers with 2403 dependents after the education division screened 1373 teachers’ leave applications last year.
He said 426 leave applications were rejected after scrutiny due to teachers working in their home provinces, no family head declaration and false information.
Gena said the provincial supplies and tenders board endorsed Prime Travel and PNG Travel Services to deal with the process.
“The service fees charged by the two travel agents are the business operational arrangements as they are a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and required to pay tax to the Government,” he said.
The estimated leave fares was K8 million comprising national grants of K7,008,100 and internal revenue appropriation of K1 million.
“The K8,008,100 estimation for last year’s fares was based on 2014 actual costs.”
In October last year, a total of K4,714,500 for fares was received from a national grant, with a shortfall of K2,293,600.
However, the education division funded the shortfall.
The procurement processes and allocations based on regions were Mamose (K2,954,600), Southern (K1,782,700), New Guinea Islands (K1,728,900) and Highlands (K260,600).