By Vasinatta Yama – EMTV News, Mt Hagen
Teachers in Western Highlands Province, like their colleagues in other centers, are facing dual deductions from their net salaries.
Teachers from a primary school in Mt Hagen told EMTV News today, that their contribution to PNG Teachers Association has been over-deducted.
Teachers from Mt Hagen Tee Primary School, one of the populated schools in the country, with over 2000 students, is going through the same plight of experiencing pay-cuts in their pay periods of the 18th and 20th.
Some of the teachers we spoke to say their pay had between K120 and K320 deduction.
These teachers feel that they have been under represented by the PNG Teachers Association.
School Principal, David Numbaming, has received a Supreme Court Order as a legal standing to talk on behalf of the financial members of PNGTA, about their welfare and issues.
Mr. Numbaming says teachers have been faced with over-deduction of their 1 percent contribution to the PNGTA, for the last 10 years. The recent pay-cut is a burden and financial stress to his teachers and their families.
Many of the teachers we spoke to, said they have loans to repay and such deductions are frustrating.
One of the teachers we spoke to, Ruth Yawiga, has been teaching for well over 30 years, and she said she is not benefiting from her contribution to PNGTA.
Mrs. Yawiga says PNGTA should stand up for its members and speak of such issues. She feels that teachers should be well compensated.
Since the re-introduction of Standard Based Curriculum to schools this year, teachers have been spending long hours in the classroom preparing lessons. Some feel that this is daylight robbery, and there needs to be an explanation from the Teachers Services Commission.
