Port Moresby, Sunday 19 October 2025 — The Government of Papua New Guinea has released K19.5 million in final retirement entitlements and repatriation payments to 570 retired teachers, marking a major step in clearing the long-standing backlog of teacher retirement benefits.
According to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), this is the third batch of payments made to retired teachers since the start of the government’s repayment initiative.
TSC Commissioner for Operations, Maini Mike Ugaia, confirmed that the funds were released by the Department of Treasury last week.
We are thankful to Treasury for releasing the funds, and we commend the patience of our teachers who have waited for years for their rightful dues.
Commissioner Ugaia.
Payment Details and Coverage
NBC News PNG reported that the K19.5 million payout covers both final entitlements and repatriation costs for retired teachers across all provinces.
The Post-Courier confirmed that the official announcement was made during a visit by retired teachers to the Teaching Service Commission office at Vulupindi Haus in Port Moresby.
The repatriation payment applies only to retired teachers and not to those who resigned or left the teaching service voluntarily.
Backlog of Payments Being Cleared
This latest payout follows earlier payments made in May 2025, when approximately K9.9 million was released for 291 retired teachers, as reported by The National.
These installments form part of a wider national program aimed at clearing the backlog of retirement benefits accumulated over many years due to administrative delays and funding shortages.
Commissioner Ugaia explained that much of the delay stemmed from the multi-agency verification process between the TSC, Treasury, and provincial education offices, which slowed down data validation and payment approvals.
Acknowledgment and Future Plans
The TSC’s Industrial Team is already preparing documentation for the next batch of retirees, whose files will soon be submitted to Treasury for funding.
Commissioner Ugaia thanked the retired teachers for their dedication, service, and patience, and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to completing all outstanding payments before the end of the year.
These teachers have served our country faithfully. It is only right that we ensure they receive their full entitlements before Christmas.
Ugaia.