Teachers in Solomon Islands are on strike, after the Government failed to make promised salary payments yesterday.
Fred Taika, the general secretary of the teacher's union, SINTA, says the teachers will not return to work until the Government complies with a four month old agreement to pay outstanding wages and settle other long standing grievances.
But he says the Government's newly re-appointed permanent secretary of the key Finance Ministry, Shadrach Fanega, has made any settlement dependent on the teachers returning to work first.
The teachers are already owed one fortnight's outstanding wages, while another fortnight became due yesterday.
The Education Ministry says it remains committed to settling the outstanding wages this week, and says the teachers should go back to work to prevent further disruption to school schedules.
