Chan: We have free education

NEW Ireland is already providing free education for children from elementary to Grade 12.
The rest of the country will get its first taste of free and subsidised education this year from elementary to Grade 10.
The provincial assembly last Thursday passed a K169.4 million budget including new initiatives to enhance its free and subsidised education policy launched four years ago, making education more affordable for children.
Governor Sir Julius Chan said with Theo Zurenuoc at the helm of the Education Ministry this year, the national government would begin free and subsidised education, just as New Ireland had been doing for four years.
It cost the province K40 million which had gone back to the pockets of the parents.
“That will now release additional money for New Ireland to spend on education, since we no longer have to pay the cost of free and subsidised education alone,” he said.
Sir Julius said with the money the provincial government would continue to water the tree of knowledge and make New Ireland the most advanced province by going one step better than the national government.
“We will pay all the fees for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students, which will leave that money in the pockets of all parents of Grade 11 and 12 students,’’ he said.
“And we will increase the subsidy we pay for all New Ireland students attending tertiary institutions, no matter where those institutions are, from K1,200 per year to K2,500 per year.
“That will put another K1,300 per year in the pockets of parents of tertiary students.”
The New Ireland post-graduate scholarship programme was being increased to K100,000 each.