Education

Minister for Education, Joseph Yopyyopy, has recently launched the new application called “MyPAYSLIP”.

The launching of the web application took place at the PNG Education Institute Hall in the National Capital District.

When launching the web application, Education Minister Yopyyopy said the Department of Education in collaboration with the Finance Department has improved access to payslips for teachers and education officers with the development of a web based application to produce teachers and education public servants’ payslips.

However, with free education, one must speak about the quality of education for those children who are in school.

These were the remarks of Prime Minister James Marape when addressing the nation recently.

He admitted that challenges as a nation in the education sector remain.

He further said: “When providing healthcare to the 8 million citizens of this country, we must not just talk about basic health care but specialist health care, where basic healthcare also entails the quality aspect.

This year, a K250,000 subsidy was set aside by the local Gazelle MP and Police Minister Jelta Wong for tertiary students around the country.

However, payments to the various selected institutions have been delayed this year due to the rollout of the Government’s new accounting system - the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS), which promotes transparency and accountability.

This is possible under the Quality for Improving Science and Mathematics Education Project.

These textbooks are developed in line with the country’s new Standards-Based Curriculum and apply the concept of problem solving approach and enhancing students’ critical thinking to enable them to discover ideas by themselves.

These new textbooks and teachers’ manuals are expected to be distributed to all schools across the country in 2020.

He made this remarks today in Parliament, while answering questions raised by Governor for Simbu, Michael Dua.

Mr Dua put the question regarding teachers’ pay cut, to the Minister responsible.

He asked the Minister for Education, Nick Kuman to simply explain why many teachers were faced with hefty pay cuts only recently.

“Many of our teachers have been experiencing pay-cuts and could not provide for their families.

“Teachers are the backbone of our nation and must be given prominence rather than cutting their pay.”

Thousands of teachers around country celebrated their day today and the PNG Education Institute was no exception.

Student teachers attending the PNG Education Institute together with their lecturers celebrated International Teachers Day under the banner: “The right to Quality Education means the Right to a Quality Teacher.”

The theme commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and serves as a reminder that the right to education cannot be realized without trained and qualified teachers.

He explained that it is a stop to the lump sum which was back-dated to January last year,  following the 3 percent pay rise, effective June 20, which was pay 13.

The country’s 65,000 teachers received a 3 percent pay rise, effective June 20 this year, which was Pay number 13.

Minister Kuman reiterated that the teachers had been paid lump sum backdated to January 1, 2017, however, last fortnight, September 26, some teachers had their pay cut, up to K200.

He further explained that this was not a pay cut but the lump sum, coming to an end.

West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel uttered this remarks when officially opening a K50, 000 worth elementary classroom at Buluma in the Hoskins area today.

WNB Governor Sasindran Muthuvel in his official speech said education is the web that keeps community intact because it opens up individual mindsets and enhances each member of the community to become proactive in contributing meaningfully to its development and added that education gives hope for the future generation.

The Buluma elementary school new classroom costs about K50 000.

A key component of this system is the Standards Based Curriculum clearly sets out benchmarks to determine whether or not the child can progress to the next grade, define teaching content according to students’ needs and introduction of new compulsory subjects.

The nationwide Standards Based Curriculum cluster rollout training was launched last week in Port Moresby, and will see 35,000 primary school teachers trained to implement it.

The Standards Based Curriculum is one of 6 main components that make up the SBE system.

Abel said PNG has one of the best education systems at its doorsteps in Australia.

While PNG develops its education system, entry of young Papu New Guineans into Australian schools will be an accelerator for development, stated the acting PM.

Abel said he proposed to the Australian government the opportunity for PNG students to have access to the international learning facilites in Australia, which he believes will be an accelerator for growth.

However, in order to ensure such an idea works, visa issues need to work in both countries’ favours.