The Solomon Islands Prime Minister has ordered the Ministry of Education to begin a vigorous investigation into allegations some teachers are collecting mutliple salaries through ghost identities.
Gordon Darcy Lilo says his government suspects some teachers may be using more than one name, each with separate bank accounts.
According to the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, more than 500 teachers have been termed as ghost teachers.
Mr Lilo said if teachers are found to have committed fraud against the state, they will be dealt with accordingly.
This comes amid a simmering pay dispute between the country's teachers and the government.
The National Teachers Association has led a series of strike actions this year over its claims to outstanding pay - the government has called the strikes illegal.
The teachers union says only around a quarter of the more than 9-thousand teachers have been paid so far.
