The Papua New Guinea Teachers’ Association (PNGTA), Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and the National Department of Education (NDOE) have been urged to work together instead to address teachers’ concerns instead of engaging in a public debate.
PNGTA Morobe branch president and Omili Primary School head teacher Mark Nanu said the association’s concern about providing teachers with COVID-19 resources are genuine and the three entities must stop arguing.
He said the association, the commission and the department must understand that the country is struggling to contain the the spread of the viral pandemic and this is no time for fighting.
The pandemic is affecting all sectors and education is one of them so they need to have a good working relationship and effective dialog to address issues that schools, teachers, students and parents are being faced with.
– Mark Nanu
He said they have to put their disagreements aside and put the education of more than 300,000 students attending elementary, primary, high, secondary and vocational schools including FODE centers as priority.
PNGTA Morobe branch is very much aware that NODE and TSC have distanced themselves from the current PNGTA regime due to pending court matters regarding the legality and eligibility of the current executives after the 2019 PNGTA national elections.
Thus, we also respect court proceedings and remain silent as not to preempt a court decision so it would be more proper for these responsible authorities not to fight over issue that is before the court and establish an understanding that can give clear directives to teachers, students and parents on way forward in the education of students.
He said unless the matter before the court is cleared, they are at liberty to make decisions and discussions on teachers’ welfare, conditions and other outstanding issues.
Three years will now lapse should this current PNGTA regime continue to exist with TSC and NDOE staying on one side and continue to play a wait and see attitude which is legally correct.
As a result, the teachers as members have suffered and will continue to suffer.
– PNGTA Morobe branch president Mark Nanu