ENB govt gives green light to charge project fees

By PHOEBE GWANGILO
THE education board in East New Britain Education has approved that students be charged project fees.
Education adviser Hubert Wangun said primary schools could charge a maximum of K300 while high and secondary schools not more than K1000 per student.
He said the Provincial Education Act gave the board the power to do that.
Wangun said they understood that the Government had stopped institutions from charging any fees.
“But in East New Britain, the provincial executive council has approved project fees,” he said.
“They are the maximum for parents to pay. This is just for infrastructure development alone in schools.
“For the charging of the project fees, the province has the Provincial Education Act that gives powers to the provincial executive council to decide on certain fees limit that parents can pay.”
He said in 2012, the tuition fee-free policy was working well but over the years, the rate per student had decreased due to cash flow problems.
“The subsidy goes directly to the schools. It does not come to the province,” he said.
Wangun said head teachers updated his office after receiving the funds.
He told The National that the ENB Government was committed to improving quality education.