7 Feb 2005

Education advisor says schools are closing due to teacher shortage

2:43 pm on 7 February 2005

The provincial government in Papua New Guinea's Morobe province says a teacher shortage has caused some schools to close.

There have been calls to lower school fees, after reports that seven community schools had closed due to high education costs.

However the provincial education advisor, Murika Bihoro, says school fees haven't increased.

Mr Bihoro says the problem has been attracting teaching staff to the province.

"Number one is terrain, and secondly the airfares and transport costs have increased so much, and teachers are finding it difficult to pay for their own airfares to get in, and basic services, such as health, may not be available."

Murika Bihoro says new incentives for teachers, include a rural incentive allowance, improved transportation, and sponsoring students from the province to attend teachers college.