Enrol all pupils, schools warned

The National Main Stories

By GYNNIE KERO
EDUCATION Minister Jimmy Uguro has warned schools not to charge students project fees as a prerequisite to enrolment.
It follows reports that despite instructions from him and Prime Minister James Marape, some schools were demanding fees from students as a condition for their enrolment.
Uguro told The National that officers of the Education Department had been tasked to look into the issue.
Marape on Monday said all students should be enrolled irrespective of whether they has paid any fees.
Uguro said it meant “no student should be left outside the classroom”.
Education secretary Dr Uke Kombra said schools should not be charging project fees but only provincial education boards.
Marape last week gave a cheque for K123 million to the Education department to be paid to school bank accounts as part of the K486 million allocated under the Government tuition fee subsidy policy.
Kombra said the banks had already started crediting schools’ accounts.
He confirmed that the department had received reports from parents regarding “excessive fees” being charged by some schools which school inspectors would investigate. He pointed out that a few schools would miss out on the recent Government allocation of K123 million because they had failed to provide their school data.
He said teachers should already be in school as classes had begun.
Uguro urged students to take precautions during the current bad weather.

20 comments

  • Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School have already charged 38% enrolment policy.

    So education department what’s going on

    • Students who withdraw for Covid 19 last year case are all asked to pay double fee for couple of schools, please refer this to respective schools and finalize the people in charge please

  • Concern parents,
    that’s a good question. Even the other schools in the country still charging 37-38% fee to the students/kids….
    Education Department n Minister have to come up with one fair and flat policy before late for the school academic starts.

  • Please, can officer authority check BUSU Secondary High School. They head Master and his registrar restricting children not to register until we K1,200.00 school fees before our child attend schools

  • All schools are demanding 80% up front payment before enrolling any student. Who has the authority, Education department or the schools?

  • Some secondary schools in Enga are charging over K600.00 per student and over K2000.00 for transfer-in. Can the authorities look into these.

  • Schools around the country have already charged project fees on students as a condition before they enter classrooms.

    Whatever they do, ALL students must be in the classrooms as per the directive from the CEO of PNG, PMJM.

  • Please look into all primary and secondary schools at Madang, they are charging huge amounts of fees as condition for their enrollment. Education department has to look into this asap.

  • Governments failure in releasing the funds is causing schools to charge fees so schools can have funds to operate. Lets look at all angles. How do we expect schools to operate with no money? PM and Minister don’t have to big mouth in media. 1st Quarter fees should have been subsidized early Jan 21 so schools can receive funds and prepare. This does not mean that schools have to charge higher then 25% refundable fees.

  • Please look into secondary schools at Madang, they are charging huge amounts of fees (K1200 – K2000) as condition for enrollment. Some schools have not started yet due to parents unwilling to pay that amount and some can not afford. Can the education department do a follow up on this and do something.

  • The schools need money to operate, the government should have paid the subsidies early in January before the start of the 2021 Academic Year.

    How can you the school operate if it has no money? Is the government’s money already in the school’s account? The answer is NO.

    So just pay your children’s school fees and later when the government subsidies come in to the school’s account, the school can then reimburse your money.

  • Thanks for the heads-up Honorable Minister for Education. You being a former Teacher, you knew very well the hiccups in such situations faced by schools. Otherwise, you had done your path and directives must be executed and School BOM, Principles and TICs must understand and exercised it.

    Well, I have some points which I’d like know more of.
    ☆ Can the good Minister explain to the Nation the differences between Church run and Government runned Institutions regarding the difference in fees being charge.
    ☆ Why are few schools neglecting the PMJM and Hon Education Minister’s directives and are telling their students to pay-up their school fees before they can resume classes, and that includes those continuing students.
    ☆ Provincial Education Inspectors must follow up and suspend those School Priciples who neglected the MP’s directives.

    Anyways, thanks..

  • In New Ireland, some female students attending Madina girls Secondary School has been sent back because they paid less then K500. Please responsible authorities and especially PEB are you aware of this. Trangu lo ol disla sumatin plus ol papa mama blo ol.

  • Students who transfer/withdraw for Covid 19 last year case are all asked to pay double fee for couple of schools, please refer this to respective schools and finalize the people in charge please

  • Authority check KAGUA Secondary High School. The Head Master and its board asked students to pay K1,200.00 school fees before they attend classes.

  • Asoroka Luthern Secondary School charging K350, Project Fees, K150 Uniform Fee, K25 Student ID Fees and K500 School Fee respectively and the students were asked to Pay K1000 to enroll for this academic year.

    Can the Education Department & the Minister responsible look into this school including other schools despite the good Prime Minister commitment.
    Thanks.

  • Schools in Hagen charging for Project fees, Primary K200 and Secondary K300 before enroll students. Transfer in K2,500, a SDA run Secondary school in Hagen.

  • Can the department of education check with school in manus as well.The are asking parents to pay up front payment for K300 & K200 respectly before students will register to take class at High & Secondary school,even though government has made payment into their account.I believe all this payment has been used to settle last year debt..

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