By HARLYNE JOKU
CERTAIN schools in NCD are refusing to register students and are being sent home because they have not paid their school fees.
This is contradicting Prime Minister James Marape’s recent announcement that the government is paying tuition fees to schools throughout the country to assist parents from the hassle of paying school fees for children from elementary to secondary.
Prime Minister James Marape presented K123 million on Jan 29 for the first quarter out of K486 million to Education Minister Jimmy Uguro under its ‘Government Tuition Fees Subsidy’ (GTFS) scheme.
PM Marape said in a press statement that parents do not have to pay school fees upfront the 37 percent before their children can go to school.
He called on school boards not to charge more than 20 per cent of the school fees.
Schools must ensure all school children are registered and attend classes in the academic year, PM Marape said in a statement.
A committee within the Education is monitoring the resumption of teachers and students as schools begin this week, a reliable source has confirmed to The PNG Bulletin.
The committee is also checking on names of schools that are not allowing students to register because of non-payment of school fees.
Parents are encouraged to give the names of the schools refusing to register because they are not able to pay school fees.
The Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra will be issuing a statement this week regarding GTFS issue and how it will be implemented in schools throughout the country.
Certain School Boards are still imposing school and project fees for students.
School board members are calling on the Marape government to clarify the tuition fee issue. Parents are confused and students are still sent home.
