College manages operation despite tight budget

National

Balob Teachers College in Lae has managed to continue its operations this year, despite a tight budget, the college principal says.
Jerry Hendingao said yesterday that many students had only paid between 40 to 50 per cent of the total fees required by the college’s governing council before taking classes.
The reason was that some parents or sponsors were also paying for students studying in other institutions.
Hendingao said in previous years, the college did not face such financial troubles.
He said this year the college did not receive government grants. Hendingao said those students on corporate sponsorship did not complete their fees as district services improvement programme funds were stopped before the election period and that was when the college faced financial constraints.
“But luckily, we went on a three-week holiday during the elections and that saved us instead of depleting the little that we have,” Hendingao said.
Balob teacher trainees will be out for five weeks of practice teaching starting next week.