The President of PNG Teachers’ Association Aita Sanangkepe is calling on authorities to not involve teachers in future elections.
The involvement of teachers in elections has resulted in interruption to student learning because of teacher absenteeism. Also, the safety of teachers and students is threatened with election related violence.
Sanangkepe is appealing to the Teachers Services Commission and the Secretary for the Department of Education to exempt teachers from participating in future elections, and concentrate on educating children.
He said the education of the child depends on these human resource builders. Teachers and students alike need to be protected from election related violence.
“On that basis, this morning, our press release is appealing to the PM of this country, EC that from now on, no more teachers are going to be engaged to run the election, take part in the counting, and that’s our union stand now,” Sanangkepe said.
He said one agenda item in the Teachers’ Parliament coming up in September is to forward a resolution to the new government and eventually the Electoral Commissioner, to engage Grade 12 school leavers in training for electoral duties – not teachers.
“I appeal to the incoming Prime Minister of this country. Let’s give the priority to the Human Resource builders, the teachers, leave them alone to mold, to impart the knowledge that they gain from the colleges to our future generation,” said Sanangkepe.
He appealed to the Secretary for Education and the TSC to have a round table with PNGTA so they can collectively better advise relevant authorities to make the right decisions in the best interest of teachers and students in future elections.