Teachers put off payroll

By GABRIEL LAHOC

SCHOOLS across Morobe face disruptions as more than 1,000 teachers in the province were put off the payroll for failing to submit their resumption of duties forms on time.

The issue, which has been hitting the news for a while now, finally came to a head when the teachers were removed from the payroll starting with the most recent pay last fortnight.

The exact number of teachers who have not been paid is yet to be confirmed by the education division’s salary section and provincial education adviser Murika Bihoro. 

But Papua New Guinea Teachers Association Morobe branch president Mark Nanu said he was aware that more than 1,000 elementary, primary and secondary school teachers had been affected.

Berei Kalo, the professional assistant for education services, said the education department found that the resumption of duty sheets were submitted late from the rural areas. 

However, he admitted that the payroll accounting system was also having some technical problems.

Kalo said two officers would be sent to Port Moresby to sort the matter out with the department.

“It’s a national issue because many (other) provinces face the same problem. It’s not only Morobe, we are trying our best,” he said.

Some principals and senior teachers are accusing the salary offices in Lae and Port Moresby of negligence, saying teachers had submitted the  documents before deadline.

Bugandi Secondary School, which has a roll of 1,800 was the worst affected with 30 of its 54 teachers not paid, although they are still teaching. 

It forced the school administration to pay them K300 each from school funds. 

Principal Tetang Punumping said he had no choice but to advance them the money so that their work was not affected. 

“It’s very disappointing. To make it worse, they are continuing teachers and for the system to put them off like this is not good,” Punumping said.

Nanu, a member of the provincial education board, said many of those affected,were from urban schools in Lae.

“Why are they off the payroll?” he asked. 

“Who is responsible? 

“It is the first time for me to see this?

“The onus is on the provincial education office.  

“Are they honestly discharging their duties?

“Are they coming to work on time?

“The government is focusing more on education and some people in the management system are letting the government down.”

Katalina Yabo, who teaches tourism and hospitality at the Finschhafen Technical School, was one of six teachers who missed out on being paid. 

She said salary officers told her that the envelope containing the salary forms were not sealed but she could not understand how that affected her pay.

Markham Valley High School principal Ebae Oreng said two teachers were not paid the whole of last year.

At Siki Primary School in Finschhafen, 13 of its 15 teachers were not paid.