THE budget for teachers’ salaries is expected to exceed K1 billion next year, as a reform plan is implemented, says Teaching Service Commission Chairman Samson Wangihomie He told The National yesterday that provinces would have to identify the positions not occupied and have teachers go on study leave and be paid for those positions. “All the positions would be used to allow teachers to go on study leave to upgrade their qualifications,” he said. “Usually, teachers are put off pay when they are on study leave.”
There are around 65,000 teachers employed by the Education Department. Their total salary is around K1 billion. In April, the PNG Teacher Association had called for a nationwide strike in protest over the teachers’ outstanding welfare demands with the Government, in particular their health safety against the surge in the Covid-19. Wangihomie said the recent initiative was proposed because of social reforms. “We now have the one-six-six policy where teachers in elementary school will be teaching in primary school. And teachers in primary schools will be teaching in secondary schools now,” he said. “They must up-skill and upgrade their qualifications so that they meet our requirements to teach. “In primary school teaching, the basic requirement is a diploma. “In high school and secondary, it’s a degree. “So that is why we have to be consistent with the reforms.” Wangihomie said provinces had been informed of the reform plan. “The normal budget for teachers’ salary should be about a K1 billion a year,” he said. “Provinces should choose how many teachers from each sector they want to send for studies. “We give them a certain number of positions depending on the size of the province. “They divide that between elementary, primary and secondary. “But they (provinces) have to let us know who is on study leave to save their teachers from auto pay suspension. “That initiative is only for those studying in PNG. “If they are on the department’s sponsorship through the education division, then the conditions are different.” The National / PNG Education News Next : HELP Program Not Working, Students Owe University Of Goroka K4 Million Comments are closed.
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