Western Highlands teachers want their postings reviewed

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TEACHERS in Western Highlands are disappointed with the appointments made for 2018.
Some said their names were not posted to any school, others said they were demoted, a few names appeared of dead people and then there were those on further studies who made the postings list.
They demanded an explanation from the provincial education board why this had happened and called for a review of the appointment.
A review was done and the postings list was put out on Monday but still the teachers did not agree and said nothing had changed.
They said the appointment process had breached the Teaching Services Act and affected a lot of teachers in the province.
The teachers pointed out the following appointments irregularities:

  • Senior teachers, headmasters, principals and deputy principals were demoted to base level;
  • base level teachers and transfer-in teachers were given senior positions;
  • serving teachers were omitted or were not given any position;
  • teachers who had resigned to contest the elections and not readmitted by the TSC had their names on the list; and,
  • Names of teachers who went for further studies were on the list.

Andrias Pingal, a teacher from Kerebugl Primary School, said they believed that teacher appointment committee stakeholders like church education agencies, their secretaries, education technical officers and other key people were not present in the appointment process.
PEB chairman Lawrence Pena said there were minor changes made in the review appointments, adding that the appointments were done with input from several key stakeholders, who ensured that the education policy was implemented in the province.
He said the PEB was transparent in its appointments and respected the tenure recommendations as in the 2017 Education Gazette which was the determining factor in teacher movements in the appointments.
He urged all teachers to take up their positions and be on duty at the respective institutions.
PNG Teachers’ Association Highlands’ region representative Basil Murien said the first appointment was done in a rush and the full appointment committee was not present.