Bad roads stumping Morobe efforts to get school materials through

MOST rural schools in Morobe, especially those having goods and services delivered by air, are having difficulties with the delivery of tuition fee free (TFF) materials.
Uruwa Primary School head teacher Hitiringke Rubape told The National yesterday that he had to dig into his own pocket to transport materials to his school.
“We were told that materials will be distributed to respective district headquarters and from there we will pick them, but ours is still in Lae because we have no road access to district.” Rubape said.
“All Kabwum schools have received their materials from the district headquarters but Yopna, Uruwa, and Som schools in Kabwum are yet to get their shares.
“Cost is less for those who are having access to roads but some of us — we are paying even extra.
“There should be additional fees given to those disadvantaged schools or the responsible logistics people should meet their commitment by considering the situation we face and deliver the materials directly to schools.” The TFF has two components — cash and basic materials supplied to schools.
Kabwum education programme manager Ezekiel Nigo said other schools in the district were ok although some schools in the province, like Garaaina, were facing similar problems.
“Their only access is through the North Coast Aviation direct from Lae, freight cost is high,” Nigo said.
Mark Mails, the head teacher for Bungawat Primary School, said he paid for their school materials from Lae.
“The situation is real but I have met the costs and brought the materials already to my school,” he said.