The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) launched the teacher validation program on the 15th of March 2024, in Lae Morobe Province.
Teacher validation is the first process of teacher- audit. Basically to verify and confirm the names and faces of teachers to the teaching positions they are appointed to.
This program aims to address the issue of funding vacant teaching positions in the provinces.
Teaching positions in all provinces are funded by the government every year and the launch of this program will help to ensure these positions are filled.
“The position vacancies are funded and there is money tied to each of those positions, if they are unused that means the money is wasted as well,” said the TSC appointment officer, Lucy Philip.
In Morobe province, there are about 8,000 teaching positions for the province and but an estimated 2,000 positions are vacant.
She explained that for the Commission to confirm the vacancy, the Commission needs to be on the ground to physically check the names of the teachers against their faces.
Philip said the validation will cover Flexible Open and Distance Education, Primary and Secondary Schools, National Schools of Excellence, Vocational schools, and Inclusive Education Resource Centers.
The program started in 2014 when the Treasury Department and TSC realized that nearly 18,000 teaching positions are funded and not occupied by teachers.
Meanwhile, the validation process for Morobe will continue throughout the whole of next week, approximately for one week.