More than 70,000 teachers in the country are to receive their three (3) percent pay increment next year, it was announced yesterday (Thursday, 14 December).
The increments would be backdated to Jan 1, 2023.
The announcement came during the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Teachers’ Salaries and Allowances Determinations 2023 – 2025 between the PNG Teachers’ Association (PNGTA) and Teaching Service Commission (TSC) before the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) in Port Moresby.
TSC chairman Samson Wangihomie said the agreement would have to go through several processes before it could be effective.
PNGTA president Aita Sanangkepe said teachers were important part of the public service as they contributed effectively to build the country’s human resources, thus their welfare had to be prioritised.
DPM secretary Taies Sansan urged teachers to be committed to their work and their duties, ensuring quality teaching and learning to be effectively done as the responsible parties had played their roles to ensure they got their pay increments.
Teachers from early childhood education, primary, high and secondary schools, National School of Excellence and the Flexible and Open Distance Education and inclusive learning are all entitled for the three per cent increment. DPM said it would put the pay structure together and submit it to Treasury.
It expected teachers to be paid between next month and March and cost almost an additional K2 million per fortnight.