Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa has assured teachers in the province that their leave fares will be paid accordingly.
He claimed that the delay in paying leave fares was due to the provincial education sector's late submission of claims for approval on time.
Pariwa was responding to concerns raised by teachers in the province who had not received their leave fares with the holidays almost over.
He said the Education sector just provided claims last week to the provincial administration and is now with the finance division for processing.
"I want to assure the hardworking teachers in the province that they will still receive their leave fares. I am sorry for the delay. In the future, I urge our Education sector to raise claims of our teachers’ leave fares before December," he said.
When responding, the Provincial Administrator, Frank Lau confirmed that more than K800,000 in cheques were approved and signed on Wednesday 28 December 2022; and will be deposited into the teachers accounts as soon as possible.
He added that when the claims are provided earlier they would have enough time to review before the closing of the academic year.
Meantime, teachers in the province have raised concern that they had been getting less than expected from their leave fares.
A teacher (named) said in the last five years they had been getting less and he had not been going home to visit his family, because of the high airfares.