The subsequent reduction in salary, as a result of the re-levelling exercise, has baffled many in the Teachers Association. The Industrial Relations Officer of the Solomon Islands National Teachers Association, John Lee Hatimoana, says the Association is strongly against such moves.

Mr Hatimoana said that under the new Agreement, signed recently between the Association and the Government, teachers should be expected to get a higher salary package and not a reduction.

However, Mr Hatimoana says that the Ministry of Education has informed SINTA that the reason for the reduction in salaries was that some of the teachers are no longer headmasters or school principals when the re-levelling took effect.