By DALCY LULUA
MINISTER for Education Lucas Dekena condemns heads of schools and school boards for restricting and removing any child from school due to non-payment of school fees and project fees.
“Every child has the right to education, therefore, this government outlaws and bans any head of schools and school board from refusing, restricting and removing any child from school due to non-payment of school fees and project fees,” he said.
The Minister said previously, the government have only been funding school fees but with the new policy that was introduced last year, the government started paying projects fees as way forward to relieve financial burden from parents.
“The government will continue to fund project fees in 2025,” he said.
“An allocation of K160 million is under the government’s family assistance package, and it will be paid directly as a grant into school accounts,” Minister Dekena said.
He however said, schools may collect parental contribution but for a specific school project.
The Minister said, “Schools may collect a parental contribution, but for a specific school project. This project fee is an optional fee, not compulsory.
“The step to follow is to collect parental contributions, which will be specified in a secretary circular.
“No school is to collect parental contributions for a project without Provincial Education Board’s (PEB) or National Education Board’s (NEB) approval.”
Minister Dekena also advised that parents should not contribute to projects not approved by provincial education boards or national education boards.
Secretary for the Department of Education, Dr Uke Kombra reiterate that, no parents should pay any fee to any school if the PEB approval is not there, or NEB approval is not there.
He said there must be a very clear approval for that fee to be collected.
Meanwhile, Church agency fees are to be paid by each student attending a church agency school as per Education Act, 1983.
