Dept suspends principals

The National Main Stories

By JINA AMBA
THE Education Department has suspended a few school principals for charging school fees and turning away students who could not pay, says secretary Dr Uke Kombra.
Dr Kombra said no schools should turn away any student as their right to education should be respected and the Government had already paid a portion of the fees this year to the schools’ bank accounts.
“The Prime Minister (James Marape) has already informed the country that no student should be turned away from school as K123 million had already been paid as the first quarter of the K486 million (fees for 2021),” he said.
“No principal should deny the right of any student to attend school.
“That policy or directive has been made very clear from the start and we will maintain that policy.”
Dr Kombra said principals or school board members who refused enrolment to any student would face disciplinary action.
“The department has already commenced suspending and charging principals,” he said.
“In NCD, we have already charged the principal of Koiari Park Secondary School.
“We are in the process of charging and suspending a few others.
“We have suspended and charged the principal of Mt Diamond Secondary School. There is a number of them in Madang we have also suspended.
“We are not allowing this to take place. Parents will find time to pay the fees and they will not escape. They must pay the fees.” He said school inspectors were investigating any complaints from parents on school fees.
“They go and confirm first. If there is evidence of schools charging fees, schools refusing to enroll a student, then they are defying a lawful instruction and have to be suspended and explain to our disciplinary committee on why they took those actions,” he said.

27 comments

  • Corruption!!! All department heads and politicians should only have three year contracts! same as Fiji had to do to stop this type of fraud from happening,
    The issue is all the heads of departments think once they have the job no one can touch them and it is a lifetime position, make them three year contracts and if they don’t perform SACK THEM. you watch what will happen public servants will start to come to work and department heads will do what they are paid to do because there job is on the line TRY IT! i bet it wont happen due to the way all the big heads protect each other, get rid of the one talk system and the people who abuse the system!

  • Please check out the rural schools in Central Province as well.Parents/guardians are advised to pay school fee including project fee including last year outstanding .

  • Absolutly, totally agreed. Yes they got employed on merit however their work performance is a telling factor so find a remedy. Give them a 3 year contract with no uncertain terms, perform or ship out

  • Can you check Kokopo secondary principal as well as he is charging parents penalty fees to some parents who have outstanding fees not paid last year.

  • School principals who relax in the school and conveniently charge parents of fee should be shown the door out.
    Principals should get up and go and fight with the govt and bring the funds in. Go and face the govt bureaucrats and fight on behalf of the students. Do not wait and expect things to happen – make it happen.

  • That’s true but speaking from experience as a primary school teacher, parents are really stubborn to pay their children’s school fees in rural areas.Once the school BOM allow them to enter a classroom they will never pay any fees until year ends.So I suggest you impose some other bright ideas that will benefit both parties instead of talking on behalf of the kids and not considering the school’s need because not all schools receive government funding at the same time and are yet to be paid into school’s account and how can a school run without nothing

  • That is way forward to take back PNG. Thank you Secretary for job well done.
    Some of the remote schools in other Provinces are charging fees that is bridging what has Secretary and Prime Minister have said. So how would we remote schools contact the office of Secretary? If someone have some contact to get in touch with please drop me his office contact.
    Thank you.

  • Government is doing the right thing. I think there’s should be a toll free contact put out for a student or parent to call if a school practices that.

  • Koiari Park Secondary School and Mt Diamond Secondary school both schools are run by SDA mission

  • Properly check Madang schools again because we have not heard any school head being suspended as yet. Alot of schools (Primary and Secondary) still charging fees. Fees for secondary are ranching from K1000 to K2000.

  • Check SHP schools too… Schools in shp already collected fees from students as an administration fee.

  • Check the Bulolo District schools as well, from the Secondary schools to the elementary schools. Students are being turned away,also leave a toll free number we can contact.

  • Well done secretary, these two schools are church run but they favor money more than well being of humanity

  • Educating a child and the right to education comes with an obligation on the part of the parents. I am a parent and I find satisfaction in paying some fees towards my childrens’ education. My children attend government school.

    I have learnt over the last 3 years some parents have totally failed to pay their project fees and these are the ones who are free riding and benefiting from other parents commitments to pay the required fees.

    These fees are set by the Provincial Education Board and what the Secretary is saying is a direct contradiction to the decision of the respective PEBs in the provinces.

    Parents have become lazy due to the free education policy. Likewise we are teaching our children to be free riders as well.

    Why not the national government make it a policy, in that from primary to secondary the parents pay fees and onto tertiary should be free education and the national government takes care of all the fees like in the past with strict conditions. Mr Secretary if you care then do the right thing.

  • Please check Onerugka high school in the Kainantu District of Eastern Highlands Province. They’re charging students K600 as tuition fee for this academic year.

  • Check Hoskins Secondary School too..As message from students, they said students will not attend class next week if they can’t pay for school fees… School fee is ranging from K1000 to K2000.. Is it possible to charge students with this amount..Check this out…

  • Its time they start learn that parents also need time to assist their children as not all of them are working, some are simple wage earners engaged in informal business sectors like marketing and rural farmers just trying to educate their children.

  • Education Secretary, can you check your own schools and province before you look out to other provinces. Politics is maneuvering every school’s in every province in png. Schools in W.H.P are the worst in collecting money from parents. I am a teacher myself, and I have not seen one single children of principal’s and teachers paid school fees to date.
    Is it fair for us poor parents?

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