Teachers to have their pay deducted for absenteeism

By GLENDA AWIKIAK
MORE than 100 teachers in the National Capital District will have their pay deducted for being absent from work, according to the Teaching Service Commission.
Maini Mike Ugaia, the commission’s principle adviser in the appointment section, said the 109 teachers were from elementary schools (53), primary schools (35), and secondary schools (21) in NCD.
The commission has submitted their names to the payroll division for being absent during the first quarter of the academic year.
The commission had implemented a monthly returns exercise to assess teachers’ attendance. The head teachers submitted a reconciliation of the monthly returns from February to April this year.
Monthly returns from May to July will be forwarded to the payroll division next week.
The monthly returns exercise last year saw pay deductions for teachers in 35 elementary schools, 48 primary, 21 secondary schools and two Technical Vocational Education in the National Capital District.
“This year the exercise has been extended to Abau, Rigo, Kairuku-Hiri, and Goilala districts of Central. Then it will go to other provinces.
“The purpose of this exercise is to stop wastage of funds by paying teachers for hours they have not been teaching,” Ugaia said.