Teachers urged to report staff

By JINA AMBA
THERE has been complaints that officers from the Education Department have been requesting inducements, charges and service fees to deal with teachers’ salary, says an official.
Teaching Service Commission (TSC) chairman Samson Wangihomie called on teachers to report officers who are doing this.
He said many teachers complained but did not report.
Wangihomie said teachers were asked to report the officers who asked for inducements by giving the details of the officers and the instances, but teachers failed to provide this information.
He said teachers who gave money to officers at the department were also practicing and encouraging corruption.
Wangihomie said public servants in Waigani, the commission and provincial divisions of Education officers were paid by the State to serve teachers and clients as part of their normal responsibilities.
He said service fees and charges amount of bribery needed to be stopped.
Wangihomie said third parties or agents who acted on behalf of teachers would not be entertained.
He said teachers needed to enquire on salary matters in person.
The TSC office in Port Moresby did not entertain queries from teachers unless they had written and signed approval from their provincial education officer.
Wangihomie called on teachers to report officers from the department practicing corruption by writing to the commission with evidence so they could deal with them.
In a paid advertisement in one of the dailies, a notice said any payment of inducements in cash or kind to any salary officer would result in the officer’s termination.