Education Ministry investigates 13 suspected ‘ghost’ teachers

The Ministry of Education is investigating 13 suspected “ghost” teachers identified during its payroll verification process, with the total amount of public money paid to the employees yet to be established.

The cases involve employees who were no longer teaching but remained within the payroll system, resulting in overpayments.

The Ministry is strengthening its governance, accountability and transparency measures following concerns raised in the Auditor-General’s 2024 report about overpayments.

Deputy permanent secretary Timoci Bure said some officers had left the system without advising the Ministry.

“The schools do the verification from the school end and that is submitted to the Human Resource section. Unfortunately, some of these movements have been done years back and the system could not pick it up the ghost movement on time,” he said.

The total amount paid to the suspected ghost employees has not yet been established because verification of records and costs is continuing.

A comprehensive review of the Ministry’s systems and processes, including payroll administration, employee records management and internal controls, is also underway.

The discovery comes as the Ministry works to resolve a separate salary issue that resulted in 134 teachers not receiving their salaries last week because their permanent appointment documents had not been returned and processed.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro said payments for 114 affected employees were processed in a special run yesterday afternoon.

The remaining 20 staff were required to submit their signed employment documentation today to allow their salaries to be processed.

“So, our officers are calling around for those teachers that we have yet to receive their documentation. We would like them to co-operate with us and submit their documentation. The timely submission is necessary to facilitate the ongoing verification process and ensure that officers’ salary is processed,” Mr Radrodro said.

The affected employees included 30 heads of school, three assistant head teachers, 47 primary school teachers, one assistant principal, 24 secondary school teachers, five technical teachers and nine non-teaching administrative officers.

Fiji Teachers Association general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga welcomed the Ministry’s action to pay affected teachers but said the situation should not have occurred.

“We hope that this does not hap­pen again in the future. We have assisted some who are our mem­bers. We want people sitting at their desks, paid by taxpayers’ money to do their work and this cannot be tolerated in the future,” he said.

Fiji Teachers Union general secretary Muniappa Goundar said teachers should not be left without salaries because of administrative or contractual processing issues.

“Teachers have financial com­mitments and family responsi­bilities, and the timely payment of salaries is a fundamental employ­ment obligation. We will continue to engage with the Ministry until all legitimate outstanding cases are resolved and the affected teachers receive the salaries prop­erly due to them,” he said.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the Ministry of Finance was assisting to ensure affected teachers received their outstanding salaries.

“This matter should never have escalated this far. Whatever ad­ministrative or procedural is­sues may have arisen, teachers who have reported for duty and carried out their responsibilities should not be left uncertain about when they will be paid.

“Our teachers hold a special re­sponsibility in our society. After parents and families, they are among the principal guardians and stewards of our young people. We entrust our children to them every day to educate them, guide them and help prepare them for the future,” he said.

Mr Rabuka said he expected the outstanding salary issues to be addressed without further delay.