Teachers plan to boycott classes because of leave fares

By DOROTHY MARK
Teachers in Madang are planning to boycott classes until their outstanding leave fares are sorted by the provincial government.
Teachers in Madang received K259 each on the last pay day of last month.
Many thought it was a Christmas bonus until they checked their payslip.
Hundreds of teachers gathered at Governor Peter Yama’s office on Christmas eve claiming that K1.6 million had been budgeted for leave fares. However, Madang education director Moses Sariki said that the leave fares budget was only K298,000 and not K1.6 million.
He said that each teacher received K259. Teachers’ spokesman, James Kero, said teachers travelling out of Madang were supposed to have been paid a certain percentage, but that formula was not followed and everyone received K259 instead.
He said K259 was not enough.
It was discovered that 11 teachers who had problems with their bank accounts each received a cheque for K2000.
In one case, a teacher travelling to Gulf got K2000 but others travelling as far as Port Moresby, Milne Bay and Gulf received only K259 each.
Yama said he would investigate.
Teachers are planning to boycott classes until they are paid the leave fares owed as far back as 2015.