26 Jan 2015

Mass walkout of PNG teachers feared

6:26 am on 26 January 2015

Papua New Guinea's Opposition Leader, Don Polye, has expressed concerns over the possible mass exit of teachers at the start of the school year this week.

A school in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea school children Photo: AFP

Teachers in the Highlands region have threatened to boycott classes unless they're paid leave entitlements owed to them from last year.

The PNG Teachers Association says teachers are entitled to a leave fare to allow them to travel to their home provinces, but teachers in Enga, Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka only received half their entitlements or missed out altogether.

Mr Polye says it's worrying that the government's neglience in taking good care of the welfare of teachers may result in court action or the withdrawal of teachers' services.