The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) had the first negotiation on addressing teachers’ pay increments, allowances and other issues concerning their wellbeing with the Papua New Guinea Teachers Association (PNGTA).
The meeting was held on Thursday April, 27th, 2023 at the Vulupindi Haus in Port Moresby. Executives from PNGTA brought a working document to present to TSC for comments then later present it to the department of Personal Management (DPM) for action.
PNGTA National vice president, Shenell Kou said some of the issues captured in the document include, teachers housing allowances, teachers’ salary fixation and teachers training.
“The document that we have given you is a working document, once this meeting is over, we can take the suggestions from you, to take that into consideration and change whatever you want to change in this document so that other meetings will be called for discussion forward,” Kou said.
“If a teacher is committed that means he is satisfied, if the teacher is secured, he knows that his position is properly done and he is paid at a proper salary level, then he knows that his job is secured,” he said.
Kou said quality education means quality teachers.
“In this negotiation we are saying whatever agreement we had in 2016 to 2017, we leave it as that, we do not want to increase any percentage. The percentage you have decided remains. However, we have calculated from 2020 -2025 based on the figures we have for 2016 and 2017 that is contained in the document.
“The base salary and the teaching service allowances are the same because our country is experiencing a down turn of the economy. Why should we be asking too much? We need to work together and say we are not asking very much. We leave it as it is but once the economy picks up we can negotiate,” Kou said.
TSC Chairman Samson Wangihomie received the document and said the TSC will have a look at the issues highlighted and comment. After that, TSC and PNGTA will continue discussions/negotiations until they reach an agreement.
Mr Wangihomie assured PNGTA that TSC would work together with them to make sure teachers’ issues are addressed properly.