Teacher Entry into the
Teaching Service
The formal process by which qualified individuals are admitted, registered, and appointed to the Teaching Service of Papua New Guinea, administered by the TSC under the Teaching Service Act (Chapter 163).
Teacher entry refers to the formal process through which a qualified individual is admitted, registered, and appointed to the Teaching Service of Papua New Guinea. The Teaching Service Commission (TSC), established under the Teaching Service Act (Chapter 163), is the sole statutory authority responsible for all admissions into the service.
No person may be employed as a teacher in any government-recognised school in Papua New Guinea without being duly admitted to and registered by the Teaching Service Commission. Every teacher who enters the service does so under a formal instrument of appointment and is bound by the duties, obligations, and code of conduct prescribed under the Act.
Important: All entry into the Teaching Service must be initiated through the Provincial Education Adviser (PEA) and formally approved by the TSC. Unauthorised employment of teachers by schools, provincial education authorities, or individuals is a breach of the Teaching Service Act and may result in disciplinary action.
A fresh graduate is a person who has successfully completed an approved teacher education programme at a recognised Papua New Guinea institution and is applying for their first appointment to the Teaching Service. The TSC conducts annual gazettal exercises to admit new graduates into the service.
- Certificate in Teaching (Primary) — minimum entry for primary level
- Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) — minimum for secondary level
- Degree — for secondary specialist subject areas
- Qualification must be from a TSC-recognised institution
- Certificate — Teaching Level 1 (TL 1)
- Diploma — Teaching Level 2 (TL 2)
- Degree — Teaching Level 3 (TL 3)
- Salary determined by TSC Teacher Salary Schedule
Re-admission is the process by which a former teacher applies to re-enter the Teaching Service after a period of absence. All re-admissions are subject to the TSC Re-Admission Policy and require formal approval from the Commission. A teacher is not deemed re-admitted until they have been gazetted.
- Deemed resignees under Section 24 (AWOL)
- Teachers who resigned voluntarily in good standing
- Medical separations who have fully recovered
- Teachers made redundant or retrenched
- Those dismissed with conviction overturned on appeal
- Section 122 resignees from 1 Jan 2022 (permanent bar)
- Dismissed for serious misconduct or child abuse
- Criminal convictions involving children
- Teachers who have exceeded age 60
- Previously rejected without new grounds
| Previous Absence Period | Salary Placement |
|---|---|
| Resigned ≤ 3 years ago | Previous salary point may be recognised |
| Resigned > 3 years ago | Base salary point of classification level |
| Medical separation | Case-by-case Commission determination |
| Retrenchment (re-admitted within 2 years) | Previous salary point recognised |
Section 122 Permanent Bar: Any teacher who resigned under Section 122 of the Teaching Service Act on or after 1 January 2022 is permanently barred from re-admission and will not be considered regardless of circumstances.
Overseas teachers may be admitted to the Teaching Service of Papua New Guinea where there is a demonstrated shortage of qualified Papua New Guinean teachers in a specific subject area or province. All overseas teacher admissions require prior approval from the TSC and the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations.
- Appointments are typically for 2-year fixed terms
- Renewable subject to TSC review and continued shortage
- Subject to Work Permit renewal conditions
- Overseas appointments are a temporary measure
- PNG nationals with qualifications are given priority at all times
- Overseas teachers may be required to train a PNG counterpart
Every teacher who enters the Teaching Service — whether as a fresh graduate, a re-admitted teacher, or a lateral entrant — must serve a probationary period of twelve (12) months from the date of their appointment before confirmation. During this period, the teacher's performance, conduct, and suitability for the service are assessed.
- TSC issues Confirmation of Appointment
- Teacher moves from Provisional to Full Registration
- Teacher gains full employment protections under the Act
- Salary increment may be applied at confirmation
- Probation may be extended by up to 6 months
- Or employment may be terminated during probation
- Teacher is notified in writing of the decision
- Terminated probationers may reapply after improvement
Registration is the formal recognition by the TSC that a person is qualified and fit to teach in Papua New Guinea. No person may teach in a government school without being registered. There are two levels of registration.
- Issued upon first entry into the Teaching Service
- Valid for the duration of the 12-month probationary period
- Teacher may teach but is under supervision and assessment
- Cannot be confirmed without completing probation satisfactorily
- Issued after satisfactory completion of probation
- Confirms the teacher as a permanent member of the Teaching Service
- Entitles teacher to full protections and entitlements under the Act
- Must be maintained through continued professional development
A teacher's registration may be suspended or cancelled by the TSC where the teacher has been found guilty of serious misconduct, convicted of a criminal offence, or is otherwise determined to be unfit to teach. Cancelled registration cannot be reinstated without a formal application to the Commission.
Every registered teacher is issued a Teacher Registration Certificate by the TSC. This certificate must be kept current and is required to be produced upon request by school administrators, provincial education authorities, or TSC inspectors. Loss of a certificate should be reported to the TSC immediately for replacement.
All applicants for entry into the Teaching Service must satisfy the following eligibility requirements before the TSC will consider an application for admission.
A person who has been dismissed from the Teaching Service, who has a criminal conviction involving children, or who is subject to a permanent bar under Section 122 of the Teaching Service Act is not eligible for entry under any circumstances.
All documents must be original or certified copies. Applications submitted with incomplete documentation will not be processed. The TSC bears no responsibility for documents lost in transit — applicants are encouraged to keep personal copies of all submitted materials.
Anti-Fraud Warning: Submission of forged, altered, or fraudulent documents is a criminal offence under PNG law and will result in immediate rejection of the application, permanent disqualification from the Teaching Service, and referral to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary for prosecution.
Information is issued under the Teaching Service Act (Chapter 163) and is subject to amendment by the Commission.
For enquiries, contact the TSC Operations Division or your Provincial Education Adviser.