Deal allows provinces to manage funds

MOROBE, Enga, New Ireland and Milne Bay provinces have signed memorandum of agreements with the Education Department to allow them to manage tuition fee free (TFF) grants.
Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu told The National that the agreements were aimed at decentralising the management of the funds.
“Those of us (Morobe, Milne Bay, Enga and New Ireland) that signed the MOA with the Education Department will discuss how best we can assist schools in our respective provinces because the contract is still in existence,” Saonu said.
He said the Government had resolved for parents to pay 50 per cent of school fees from elementary to secondary while the State would pay the balance.
The Government also initiated the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) with K200 million next year.
“Our Government is considerate in investing in students entering tertiary institutions and colleges to seek loan from HELP and refund later when employed,” Soanu said.
“The HELP is a revolving investment to sustain education for generations to come.”
Saonu said the Morobe Tutumang would discuss with schools on how to assist them after consultation with the other provinces that signed the agreement.
Education Minister Nick Kuman accompanied by secretary Dr Uke Kombra, signed the MOA with the Morobe government on Nov 1, last year at St Paul’s Primary School, Lae.
The MOA was for the Education Department to release to provincial governments the functions for managing TFF grants: 40 per cent (tuition); 30 per cent (infrastructure) and 15 per cent (commodity component) to schools this year.
The Education Department would only monitor the TFF policy in how its functions were implemented in provinces while managing 15 per cent for logistics and school material procurement.