By GABRIEL FITO
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare says no government is able to provide free education for all children given the current economic situation of the country.
Sir Michael, who was speaking on the talk-back show on NBC Wewak last Thursday night, said promises of free education by political parties and candidates was a total lie as it was impossible for any government to fund education for all children.
However, the Somare-led Government has managed to provide a subsidised education this year because they had managed the country’s economy well since taking office in 2002.
Sir Michael said the Government had a lot to do in terms of education as it must first build schools in all villages and renovate the existing schools, some of the whose buildings were erected by the colonial administration.
He said the Government had distributed K100 million from the budget surplus this year to relieve parents with the school fee problem because it saw a need to develop the human resource of the country.
Sir Michael said under this arrangement, parents would pay 20% of the fee while the Government covered the 80%.
Sir Michael said apart from pumping surplus money into education, the Government was also putting more money into other development and projects which would benefit the people.
The Government had also introduced the green revolution policy where people are encouraged to venture into agriculture as required by the physical targets set under the medium term development strategy, Sir Michael said.