By Vasinatta Yama – EM TV News, Mt Hagen
Western Highlands Province is the 15th Province in Papua New Guinea to use the Alesco Payroll system. The Provincial Government and the Provincial Education Board launched the payroll system yesterday (March 28).
The Alesco payroll system will help eliminate salary issues affecting teachers. The system will be controlled in the Province, which means that teachers will no longer be traveling to Port Moresby to address their salary issues. Teachers throughout the country have been faced with pay issues, entitlements and late payment of entitlements and fortnights. In many instances, teachers’ absenteeism in class to travel to Port Moresby to fix their issue has affected students’ learning.
Provincial Education Board Chairman, Lawrence Pena, warned teachers that with the Alesco Payroll system operated in the Province, no teacher is allowed to miss classes. Teachers who are absent in class for more than four weeks will automatically be put off payroll. Mr. Pena also told the Education Department to decentralize the system for the good of all teachers nationwide.
Western Highlands Governor, Paias Wingti, has been supportive for the payroll system to be in the province. This is part of his support for education to ensure all children in the province are well educated.
