ABOUT 400 trainee teachers who joined the Education Ministry in the middle of last month have still not been paid their salaries.

These graduates, now being trained at the National Institute of Education (NIE), were to have been paid for June and July almost two weeks ago. However, as of yesterday, their salaries had still not been banked.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has put the delay down to technical glitches and late submission of transcripts.

Of the 1,000 admitted into NIE for training last month, more than 500 received their salaries by July 12.

Five teachers among those who had not been paid told The Straits Times they were frustrated that MOE had been silent thus far about the delay.

An MOE spokesman apologised for the delay in an e-mail to this newspaper:

'We are sorry that some trainee teachers did not receive their salary in the first payroll cycle on July 12.

'A main reason for the delay is that we had faced unexpected technical problems when we were changing our payroll systems to reflect the new, higher salaries to be paid to trainee teachers from July 1, 2008.'

She added that some fresh graduates were unable to submit their final-year transcripts in time for payroll processing.

The spokesman added that MOE was contacting the affected trainee teachers 'to explain what happened and to make arrangements for payment as soon as possible'.

A 25-year-old trainee, citing the lack of explanation as the biggest issue, said: 'We're all human and lapses are bound to occur. But at least let us know what's going on.'

A 23-year-old said the delay has been 'troublesome' for herself and her friends, who, as fresh graduates, had been counting on their first pay cheques to start paying off study loans.

She said she had arranged for the first payment on Aug 1, but would now have to borrow money from her mother.

'It's embarrassing that I have to borrow money from her when technically, I'm employed.'

She said she wished MOE had informed them about the delay or provided an explanation.

'I didn't expect them to foul up but since they did, I expected them to be more apologetic about it. It's OK if it's a few days' delay, but a month is a long time to go without money,' she griped.

Another trainee, aged 25, who has to pay for his hostel fees and textbooks, said: 'Of course I expected to be paid on time. I've been checking my e-mail but no explanation from MOE so far.'

janeng@sph.com.sg