Annual pay delays for PNG teachers must stop!
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Annual pay delays for PNG teachers must stop!
PORT MORESBY: For decades, thousands of teachers in Papua New Guinea would have their names struck off the national government’s payroll list for failing to submit their Resumption Of Duty Summary Sheets (RODSS).
The problem has gone unabated to become a yearly “ritual” at the start of every new school year.
This year is no different than in the past - the blame game starts and the teachers continue to teach with their pay delays.
How long will this sad state of affairs continue? It is high time for the education minister and his ministry to act swiftly to implement a more efficient process for the teachers.
At least the Mamose PNG Teachers’ Association had the courage to speak up on the annual woes, as reported by The National:
Association wants total revamp of teachers’ form
THE Mamose PNG Teachers’ Association says the processing of teachers’ Resumption Of Duty Summary Sheets (RODSS) is totally inefficient and needs a total revamp.
“We need a workable process. The teachers must not be punished every year unabated for no fault of theirs,” association regional president Mark Nanu said.
He said that the more than 11,000 teachers who had been taken off payroll “are hardworking and do not deserve to be penalised like that. The process of approving teachers’ RODSS starts at their respective schools and ends up at the provincial salary office”.
“Most teachers are committed to their profession and are at their school to resume classes on first day of the new school year on Jan 21,” he said.
“We don’t’ know whether they (the affected teachers) are from rural or urban schools.
“They filled and submitted their resumption forms to their head teachers and principals for inspection. The forms are then submitted to the provincial education adviser for approval, and for the officer in charge of salary to act accordingly.
“Clearly, we teachers have done our part. And, clearly, it’s the process that the delays are due to an inefficient or poor processing system,” Nanu said.
He said teachers transferred to other schools this year might be worse off.
“Teachers are hardworking and have made sacrifices to serve in some of the remotest parts of the country to educate our children. Teachers are playing their role in nation-building,” he added.
Nanu said the payroll office must also consider the plight of teachers in remote districts with difficulties to transport the forms to the provincial education office.
Mamose has 3593 teachers struck off the payroll, Morobe 1439, Madang 1112, and East Sepik 1042.
“We need a workable process. The teachers must not be punished every year unabated for no fault of theirs,” association regional president Mark Nanu said.
He said that the more than 11,000 teachers who had been taken off payroll “are hardworking and do not deserve to be penalised like that. The process of approving teachers’ RODSS starts at their respective schools and ends up at the provincial salary office”.
“Most teachers are committed to their profession and are at their school to resume classes on first day of the new school year on Jan 21,” he said.
“We don’t’ know whether they (the affected teachers) are from rural or urban schools.
“They filled and submitted their resumption forms to their head teachers and principals for inspection. The forms are then submitted to the provincial education adviser for approval, and for the officer in charge of salary to act accordingly.
“Clearly, we teachers have done our part. And, clearly, it’s the process that the delays are due to an inefficient or poor processing system,” Nanu said.
He said teachers transferred to other schools this year might be worse off.
“Teachers are hardworking and have made sacrifices to serve in some of the remotest parts of the country to educate our children. Teachers are playing their role in nation-building,” he added.
Nanu said the payroll office must also consider the plight of teachers in remote districts with difficulties to transport the forms to the provincial education office.
Mamose has 3593 teachers struck off the payroll, Morobe 1439, Madang 1112, and East Sepik 1042.
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