The Ministry of Education at the Fincorp Haus in Port Moresby, resumed work yesterday after a lock down last week, according to the Secretary Dr Uke Kombra.
He confirmed with the Post-Courier yesterday that the lock down was to allow the building to be sprayed with disinfectant, following confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 within the department.
We were on lock down last Thursday and Friday to fumigate our building, as we had several confirmed cases.
Dr Kombra
The Fincorp Haus is occupied by the Education Department and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).
Dr Kombra, however, did not confirm the number of cases from the department when asked.
An official (unnamed) told the Post-Courier that a senior official had been on oxygen, adding that a staff member of the Teaching Service Commission died last week.
Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission Samson Wangihomie denied the death from TSC to be COVID-19 related.
TSC had one death but his death was due to severe pneumonia, and negative COVID-19.
We are now at work after the shutdown due to COVID-19 cases in the Department of Education.
The shutdown was mainly to have the building disinfected, which took two days; last Thursday and Friday..
Wangihomie
As the schooling year is approaching Christmas holiday, teachers would be fronting up at Fincorp Haus to sort out their queries, however, with the COVID-19 surge, TSC will not be entertaining counter service this holiday period.
As for counter service, we have decided that due to the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths nationwide, we will not open our counter for a one-on-one basis.
However, if teachers have queries, they can drop them off in a box provided at the entrance into the Fincorp Building or email us.
Mr Wangihomie