PNG national teacher smart identity cards project underway

All teachers in system schools, including FODE, Inclusive Education Resource Centers [IERC], and vocational centers, must register and get the PNG Teacher Smart ID Card, which will serve as the standard ID for education staff in PNG.

Education Secretary, Dr Uke Kombra said the aim of the project is to register and issue every teacher in the national education system with NID and National Teacher Smart Identity Card.

"Teachers can input their data directly online through the teacher ID-NID application on the education website; http://educaiton.gov.pg.,"Dr. Kombra said.

Teachers in Port Moresby and Sogeri National School of Excellence and all secondary schools in NCD were issued Teacher Smart Cards last year.

Teacher data collection began across the country in April this year.

A national team, led by Andrew Angobe, First Assistant Secretary for FODE and Inclusive Education, will visit provinces to verify teacher information and distribute ID cards.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kombra said the Department of Education expects school inspectors and principals to confirm teacher identities and provide accurate data for the ID cards.

He also emphasized that all collected information is specifically for the ID cards and must be properly recorded.