PNG Teachers Face Payroll Suspension as Thousands Miss Registration

More than twenty thousand teachers across Papua New Guinea risk being taken off the government payroll after failing to complete registration requirements for the upcoming academic year.

PNG Secretary for Education Dr Uke Kombra 

PNG Secretary for Education Dr Uke Kombra revealed that while tens of thousands have complied, a large portion of the workforce remains unaccounted for in official records.

Department data indicates 49,674 teachers have submitted their Resumption of Duty Summary Sheets, leaving 22,135 yet to be confirmed, including newly recruited graduates awaiting processing.

In response, Education authorities have shifted the suspension deadline to May 1, instead of the earlier April 3 schedule, to provide additional time for those yet to comply.

However, the Department warned that April 15 remains the cut-off date for submissions, with affected teachers to receive their final pay on April 17 before automatic removal.

The Department maintained that any teacher who later meets the requirements will be restored to the payroll, with back pay included.

Jiwaka leads the list of affected provinces, followed by Enga, Morobe, Madang, East Sepik, West Sepik, Simbu, New Ireland, Eastern Highlands and Central, accounting for over 16,000 teachers.

Dr Kombra said Provincial Education Advisors must act quickly to verify and submit all outstanding records, stressing that the process is designed to eliminate inactive employees and ensure only genuine teachers remain on the payroll.