Teachers raise concern on overcrowding in schools

 Teachers from Wardstrip Primary School have raised concerns about overcrowding in their school as a result of the Tuition Fee Free Education Policy 

Elizabeth Kents, a teacher from Wardstrip Demonstration Primary School, expressed the concern on behalf of the 52 teachers.

Speaking at the presentation of a 15-seater bus and the announcement of two double classrooms to be built at the school by Moresby North-East MP Labi Amaiu, Kents said the overcrowding at the school was affecting teachers.

“Maybe the education policy allowed all this to happen, but it has gone beyond our control that every teacher is now responsible for about 60 to 70 students in a class,” she said.

“This is unfair to the teachers, most of our time is taken up by the job and we spend longer hours now with so many children to teach.

“We appreciate what MP for Moresby North- East Labi Amaiu is doing,  at least he is coming in between to offload some of the burden that we have by giving us four classrooms which we really are grateful for.”

Kents said on the other hand, the teachers who were doing the work, were not represented properly and their welfare was not fully considered when such decisions were made. 

“We need accommodation and we are 50 teachers plus two assistant teachers and we don’t live in proper homes, and having to teach students at this numbers puts pressure on us,”  Kents said. 

“For a quality and better education for the children, the teacher’s welfare must also be considered.”