The general-secretary of the Papua New Guinea Teachers Association says the government must pay its members more if it wants to alleviate the teacher shortage in rural provinces.
John Li says provinces like Enga and Southern and Western Highlands need more than 300 teachers to allow schools to operate.
Mr Li says the social problems and isolation of some areas make them unattractive to work in.
But he says the government needs to act by showing teachers that they are valued.
"From the associations. point of view, we commissioned the national research institute, in 1999 to conduct a works value study for teachers. This was launched in the year 2000. To date we feel that the government and the department, have not adequately addressed the findings of that particular report, but it is something that we are still pursuing."
John Li says election related violence has compounded the shortages in Southern Highlands because teachers do not wish to live there.