AN estimated 93 percent of teachers missed out on promotions because they did not undergo personal inspections, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has revealed.
TSC Acting Chairman Maini Mike Ugaia disclosed this during the official release of the 2027 Teacher Tenure Appointments Gazette at Vulupindi Haus in Port Moresby yesterday.
The Gazette covers 42,000 advertised teaching positions across primary, high and secondary schools, vocational centres and national institutions.
Following verification exercises conducted across all 23 provinces, the Commission confirmed 7,243 permanent positions for 2027, bringing the national permanent placement rate to 17 percent, up from 16 percent in 2026.
Chairman Ugaia said out of 24,860 promotional positions advertised, only 1,788 teachers were confirmed, meaning only 7 percent of promotion positions will be filled in 2027.
“The remaining 93 percent could not be confirmed because the school inspection system has broken down, leaving thousands of qualified teachers stuck without any way to move up,” Chairman Ugaia said.
He said this trend has remained the same over the last three appointment cycles from 2024 to 2026, showing that lack of school inspections is a continuous problem.
The Commission explained that the rule is strict – no inspection means no eligibility, and no eligibility means no promotion and confirmation.
“To get a promotion, a teacher must legally have an eligibility status, which can only be given after an inspector visits the school and writes a formal report which is rated and awarded eligibility status.”