Schools not following policy, TFF failing

OVER the weeks since the school year started, TFF and project fee have been the main issue in our daily papers.
Just a few months away from the general elections, the government has an agenda against schools that are charging project fees by suspending school principals.
Many parents who are supporting the suspension of school principals do not understand the mechanics of the TFF and are being robbed of what is rightly for their children’s education. TFF comes in three components: 40 per cent for operational expenses, 30 per cent for infrastructure development and 30 per cent for school materials.
After the first year of free education where schools were paid full TFF, this was reduced where only 40 per cent was paid to schools while the rest was not to be accessed.
In fact, the 30 per cent infrastructure development component was paid into the provincial treasury as we are told but our school has not received one kina of it.
After many enquiries, we were told that the 40 per cent of the TFF include the infrastructure development component. That is why parents and citizens have decided to collect project fee.
Is it illegal to charge project fee?
Prior to TFF, schools have been charging project fees on top of the approved school fees by the PEB.
The fact is that TFF is not sufficient and is not paid according to the actual school census. Furthermore, the quarterly payments are not paid in full and are very late.
The premature closure of schools last year throughout the country clearly shows TFF is a failure and another government scam .
ECOM Secondary School is a church agency school that is in need of vital school infrastructure but the government has neglected our plans for enhancing quality education.
We have struggled throughout the years to become the best in the province. Why penalise us for project fee that the parents and citizens decide to charge?
The PEB has not provided any professional advice but pretends that we have not followed lawful directions.
The provincial education division had approved and witnessed the end products of the project fees.
It’s injustice.

Chawi Konabe, Via email