Teachers lose pay

More than 33 teachers who took part in the nationwide teachers strike in Manus Provnice will not be getting their fortnight pay this week.

Manus Provincial Education Assistant Secretary, Pompirankan Kuyei said that these teacher's wages had been withheld because of their accusations, which were illegal.

He said section 95 of the Teaching Services Act prevents teachers from taking part in protests.

Mr. Kuyei warned teachers in the province to think twice before getting involved in such activities.

Teachers saga far from over

The stand-off between teachers and their employer, Teaching Service Commission is far from over with 18th July's court adjournment set to drag the issue into another week.

Teacher's in the nation's capital will hold a stop work meeting on 19th July where they will decide what to do next while waiting for the court hearing which is now been set for another date.

The matter of legality of the teachers strike is before the courts and was supopsed to heard on 18th July at 1:30pm.

However, some court formalities were not followed and the matter had to be registered again with the court registrar.

Lawyers representing the Papua New Guinea Teachers Association and the Teaching Service Commission asked the court on Monday 17th July to adjourn the case to Tuesday 18th July to give them time to look at the matter.

Justice Greg Lay had told the court on Monday he had other matters to work on Tuesday so transfered the case to Justice Bernard Sakora.

But on Tuesday Justice Sakora said he was not aware of the matter and told the parties to register the case with the registrar. The issue looked like it had been sorted out when a reported meeting between PNGTA and TSC representatives during an adjournment had reached some agreement.

The strike had resulted with a total of 37 teachers suspended and PNGTA insisting these teachers be re-instated before they returned to work. PNGTA's National Capital District branch President Andrew Nuabo said teachers would meet on 19th July to decide their next course of action.

TSC Chairman Allan Jogioba said he was not aware of that agreement and they would not lift the suspension.

Classes in schools are yet to return to normal with students from a certain school sent home because they weren't enough students to conduct classes. They were told to return next week but the stand-of which students and parents are following through the media is yet to be resolved. Meanwhile, the highlands education authorities have been commended for their understanding during the teacher's nationwide strike. Highlands Regional Secretary Peter Wama, thanked the teachers on Tuesday for morally supporting the teacher's strike.

"You have done well and we request your assistance in future should request you to assist," he said.

Just pay teachers, says Rapa

Western Highlands Deputy Governor Wai Rapa, has urged the Department of Education to settle all the outstanding claims for teachers to allow classes to resume immediately.

He said the government should take the blame for what is happening.

"Parents pay so much money to send their children to school. However, their efforts to securea decent education for their children are being jeopardized by those in authority," Mr. Rapa said.

He attributed the second teacher's strike to negligence on the part of the Education Department and Teaching Services Commission.

Mr. Rapa said PNG cannot achieve better education and develop its human resource if the government cannot look after its teachers.