Secretary Dr Uke Kombra is warning his officers that the Education Department will not tolerate dishonest staff who drag its image through murk to beat the system.
A media report last week claimed that some department officers were demanding money to process teachers’ claims.
As a big organization, we do not condone and promote any illegal and malpractices.
The department has a zero tolerance on such behavior by officers as all services the ministry provides are free.
The department has made a number of achievements this year despite challenges, and the actions of one or two officers have spoilt the reputation of honest and hardworking officers.
Dr Uke Kombra, Education Secretary
Kombra said the department had increased the tuition fee subsidy, sending top students to study overseas and started awarding top-performing students in the country.
A list of good things is going on in the department.
Kombra
He said the entire organization was being blamed for a few officers’ scams and illegal activities.
There were notices in each floor of Vulupindi Haus stating that services are free of charge, Kombra said.
“Any reports with sufficient evidence (of illegal practice) will result in the officer being terminated and or referred to police.
We have been telling teachers to provide evidence of payments to officers who attend to their pay queries. My message to teachers who face salary issues is you must not pay for services.
Any teacher found to pay for services is equally guilty of malpractice or crime.
Kombra
Kombra also urged the media and public to report directly to his office with evidence for immediate action instead going public with complaints.
Meanwhile, Kombra said his officers had fixed and set file numbers for some teachers who had not been on payroll, including Nellie Kusari, from Okapa, Eastern Highlands, who did not receive her fortnightly wages over the past three years while teaching at a remote school in East Sepik.
We just received their (teachers) files from the provinces between Oct 3 and 6.
The payroll department has finally given her (Kusari) file number along with other teachers’.
Kombra
Kombra said sometimes new teachers would not receive their pay on time due to “system issues”.
Provincial education boards were responsible to sort out those teachers’ files in order for them to be on payroll. But the process caused delays in the fortnight pays, some up to two-three years, he said.
Kombra said the department had centralized the Alesco pay system in almost all provinces where education boards should take responsibility.
Alesco system is established in the provinces and even at the district level.
Teachers have to be attended to at the provincial level.