A few have asked why we are following the Teachers’ Pay Cut issue. The reason is simple: TRANSPARENCY.
Teachers should know how much they earn. If there are deductions, they deserve to know why there are deductions.
It is their money.
Instead the pay slips don’t show the deductions. As I mentioned in my other post, Lae Secondary School teacher, Charlie Clyde Tikaro, showed me his pay slip. It doesn’t show the K200 deduction.
Another teacher called me on Monday morning from Busamang along the Huon Coast. She had not been paid for three fortnights. Her pay slip said the deductions were for “leave without pay.” She’s NOT on leave.
She is not a local. She cant teach because she’s thinking about her next meal. It’s plain injustice!
In Western Highlands, our Mt. Hagen based journalist who has also been following the story tells me of a racket that has been going on with shops profiting from teachers. Apparently, having a contact in Port Moresby creates an income stream for businesses who access salary information and print out pay slips.
Each pay slip is worth between K50 and K60.
In Wewak it is the same. Teachers coming from Angoram, Ambunti and Drekikir can get their pay slips if they supply their file numbers to an agent who has contacts in Port Moresby. This guy charges between K20 and K60 for a pay slip.
I copied the inboxed message and sent it to Governor Allan Bird for comments. This problem is bigger than me.
This is a web of corruption. Yes. I said it. A web of CORRUPTION and people a profiting from a group of workers they know won’t complain or are too afraid to complain.
It makes my blood boil when talking to teachers who tell me they are mistreated at the Provincial Education Offices around the country. I am personally angered by stories of very senior teachers being bullied or belittled by staff who have no idea how hard a teacher works.
Teachers have a right to be treated with respect by those at the salaries section.
I have another question: Who are the faceless people who add and deduct the salaries?
Who is punishing the teachers with followed by deductions that give them unlivable wages of K7, K10, K35 and K40? Who makes those blunders and then tries to correct the mistakes by mucking around with another person’s pay?
If a teacher is overpaid who’s fault is it?
Teachers deserve support from their political leaders. Not comments that inflame the situation.
The reason for this series of story is TRANSPARENCY. This can only happen if teachers speak out and authorities provide answers.
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