Govt to pay 50pc of subsidy before school starts: Minister

EDUCATION Minister Jimmy Uguro says the Government will pay 50 per cent of the school fees subsidy to schools before the academic year starts on Jan 30.
He told Parliament yesterday that about K360 million (of the budgeted K630 million) had been released, with another K80 million for project fees to be paid next week.
The K80 million comes from the K160 million allocated for project fees this year.
“The Treasury and Finance (departments) are working hard to ensure the money is available in the banks,” he said.
“The funding will be paid to school accounts next week.”
Moresby North-East MP John Kaupa told Parliament that some schools wanted parents to pay certain amounts as project fees before students were allowed to enroll.
He said some schools were already charging project fees despite the recent government directive not to do so.
Uguro said the education department would pay the first part of the school fees and project fees component to the bank where it would be distributed to school accounts.
“The project fee is in line with the national education board school fee limit,” he said.
“We are not getting it from outside, so every school from elementary all the way to Grade 12 including the vocational schools have the approved fees limit.
“All these have been calculated, and the Government had released the fund.”
Wau Waria MP Marsh Narewac wanted to know whether the flexible open and distance education (Fode) should also be fee-free.
Uguro said every school from elementary to secondary, technical vocational education and training (Tvet) institutes and the flexible open and distance education (Fode) centers had an approved fee limit set by the national education board.