500 ESP schools still waiting for TFF funds

By GYNNIE KERO
ABOUT 533 registered schools in East Sepik have yet to receive two payments of tuition free fee funds, according to a provincial education board official.
The official, Clement Walama, who is also the head teacher of Mongniol Primary School in Wewak, said the delayed funding was causing problems with school operations.
Patricia Mungkaje, the head teacher of Kaindi Demonstration School, also in Wewak, expressed similar concern, saying the school had limited funds and laid off three casual workers at the end of last month.
Mungkaje said the school was yet to receive its TFF allocation for the second quarter.
“We don’t have money to buy ink or paper,” she said.
“We have K1000 outstanding water bills, any urgent need for the school is on hold.
“We feel we cannot go any further, we don’t have any funds.”
Kaindi Demonstration is a level 6 school with about 582 students and Mongniol Primary is level 8 with 1200 students.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nick Kuman last week admitted outstanding TFF funds for schools.
He said the government had not paid an outstanding K97 million in TFF funds to schools for the last term of last year and a further K50 million for the first term this year.