Honiara (Solomon Star): SOLOMON Islands National Teachers Association (SINTA) is defiant and vowed to proceed with their third strike notice, which became effective yesterday.
This is despite calls by the Government for teachers to resume classes as the second semester began Monday.
SINTA President Samson Faisi said the strike is now on and will continue until the Government pays the teachers their dues.
The Government has explained that until all the lists are completed, they will not make any payments.
It hopes to meet the teachers’ dues by 25th July.
Twenty nine teachers’ civil lists from education authorities are expected to be forwarded to Cabinet, then onto the Teaching Service Commission.
This will then be passed on to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury with any amendments to be made beginning this week.
This has to be done before the Payroll Unit loads the data into the teachers’ payroll for actual payment.
But Faisi said “the strike is on.”
“Unless the government is willing to keep its promises and address the teachers’ issues quickly, teachers will continue with the strike,” he said.
Responding to moves to deregister SINTA, Mr Faisi said the Office of the Registrar of Titles was misled on his presidency.
“Our legal consultant is responding to the registrar’s office claims which indicate the period of time given until today for SINTA to explain itself of my legality as president or be deregistered.”
He insisted as far as he is concerned, his presidency is legal because he was put in there by the SINTA executive.
On the fact that some schools are not taking part in the strike, Mr Faisi said that is their decision.
But he said these schools need to be reminded that their teachers are paid by the government and so the responsible education authorities should allow those teachers to exercise their rights to strike.
He further claimed the strike has the backing of teachers nation-wide.
Earlier, Assistant Registrar Haelo Pelu earlier said that Mr Faisi’s leadership since the beginning of this year has caused extensive disruption to education in the country.
“The disruptions cause to education in the country deserves shake-up of the national association and its national executive council members.
“National executive council is not managing the association and the affairs of the teachers and teaching service properly and the association deserved to be finished.”
He said SINTA has until today to explain to the registrar’s office why he should not suspend the registration of the association.