Employer has no control over leave fares: TSC Chairman

Caption: TSC Chairman Baran Sori




By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, February 8, 2015 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

TEACHING Services Commission (TSC) Chairman Baran Sori (Commission does not have control over its teachers leave fare benefits.

He told a parliamentary hearing into the teachers leave fare issues that despite the commission operating under an act of parliament on the Teaching Service Act- the TSC as an employer that determines terms and conditions for teachers actually is removed from administrating the human resource functions.

“It has made the employer take the backseat, so we have realized that what has transpired in terms of leave fares, administration or salaries and other entitlements is due to two important root causes,” Mr Sori said.

“It is legislative impediments because in the two acts, Teachers Services Act and the Education Act, there are areas where we share the same responsibilities, and the administrative or operational function issues where the employer (TSC) is so far removed having direct control over the terms and conditions and welfare of its members.”

“Teacher leave entitlement is guaranteed under section 130 of the Teaching Service Act, and this issue of teachers leave fares is not something new that suddenly emerged in 2014.”

He said the current arrangement in terms of administration and disbursement of leave fares is done by provinces for provincial education institutions.

“It is the responsibility of the provincial education advisor- that person must ensure that the appropriation released to the provinces by means of the warrant must have the cash flow available come in September.”

“Experienced advisors will check with provincial treasury to see if that leave component is available in the province to begin process of disbursement.”

“For some peculiar reason some functions and powers were delegated in the Education Act in Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments- I believe that this decision was good, but what had not effectively transpired is the ability of the TSC to be where teachers are,” he said.