PNG Teachers Association (PNGTA)

The announcement was made after the General Secretary David Numbami suddenly fell ill.

In his absence the National Management Council appointed Kingston Alu as the Acting General Secretary to oversee the election.

Sanangkepe admits the process has been long since the signing of the MOU by the PNGTA and Teaching Service Commission last December.

He said the document is now with the Department of Personal Management. DPM will then send the document to the Registry to register the document for processing.

“It is in the process now, once the registry is satisfied with the registration, they will hand the document over to the salary section for processing,” the PNGRA President said.

PNGTA executives were advised by the Industrial Registrar to prepare for elections as soon as possible.

“We are supposed to conduct election after April 2023 with the confirmation from the Industrial Registrar, Helen Saleu. She wrote a letter to us stating to prepare for the elections and conduct as soon as possible,” said PNGTA president Aita Sanangkepe.

He said the deferral was due to several reasons. One being delay of teacher’s fortnightly pay as well as common roll update.

“We have been instructed that this election has to be done.”

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Teaches Services Commission, Samson Wangihome, General Secretary for Trade Union Congress John Paska, Industrial Registrar  Hellen Selau and PNGTA National Executives, National Management Committee members, Regional Secretaries and PNGTA Support Staff.

During the meeting PNG Teachers Association President, Aita Sinangkepe said PNGTA is still not represented on the National Department of Education and Teachers Services Commission Boards after signing the consent Order.

PNGTA National President, Aita Sanangkepe said these were the financial acquittals for the Fiscal Years, 2019 to 2021, starting from when the current union executives resumed office.

Saleu was pleased to receive the acquittal reports as she has been requesting the PNGTA to deliver for some time now.

“The registered organisations are required by law to submit financial reports which includes the expenditure over the funds. So this is one of those occasions where PNGTA Executives decided to do that today (Thursday, June 30),” Saleu said.

PNGTA President, Aita Sanangkepe stated that the Court ruled in their favour and that the PNGTA office holders were voted into office by the association’s financial members.

In a media conference this week, Mr Sanangkepe thanked God for his guidance, leadership and wisdom in their court journey since 2020.

He said the outcome marks a new era in partnership with the Teaching Services Commission and the Department of Education.

The elections of the association’s executives, including that of the branches, was successfully conducted and declarations done in April 2020.

The president drew attention to Morobe’s PNGTA representatives, including Momase branch president, Tony Marupi, and National Management Committee – Momase male representative, John Maliaki.

PNGTA national president, Aita Sanangkepe, and his executives were in Morobe Province to officiate at the event.

Sanangkepe said the Momase branch of the PNG Teachers Association had been closed for about a year following the election and change in PNGTA management.

The president, however, said the closure of all their branches was timely.

General Secretary Ugwailubu Mowana says the Chief Secretary to Government’s Office and other relevant Government authorities are expected to respond today following their demand on Friday.

On Friday, the PNGTA rejected the Government’s plan to pay teachers the promised 3 percent pay increase as fortnightly instalments with this schedule;