The national government has once again failed the teachers in the country.
This is according to the PNG Teachers Association who is threatening industrial action this fortnight, if the state and agencies concerned continue to breach the 2014 to 2016 Teaching Service Salary fixation agreement.
General Secretary, Ugwalubu Mowana, said as a result, a total of 25 thousand teachers’ salaries have been affected since January 1st, this year. Mr. Mowana said to date, these teachers are owed a sum of K1.4 million.
Mr. Mowana and members of the PNG Teachers’ Association are not happy about the Alesco payroll system, saying it is creating unnecessary problems for teachers.
He reported that currently 25 thousand of the total 47 thousand teachers nationwide are either not on the payroll, or are not being paid according to their current status.
The association reported that this now amounts to K1.4 million.
Frustrated, he said this follows the breach of the 2014 to 2016 Teaching Service Salary Fixation Agreement between the association and the state, through the Teaching Service Commission and the Department of Education.
If this discrepancy is not addressed this year, it will affect the 2015 and 2016 levels of pay for all teachers in the country, and this is what the association fears.
The breach of this agreement is one of several issues raised by the association to the Parliamentary Committee on Education earlier this year. The committee went on a nationwide tour to investigate teachers’ welfare and salaries.
While waiting for this and other recommendations and issues to be raised in parliament later this month, the association is concerned about the welfare of the 25 thousand teachers affected.
The association says industrial action is the only way forward if all parties concerned continue to ignore this matter.
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