Enroll all, says Uguro

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Jimmy Uguro

By JINA AMBA
EDUCATION Minister Jimmy Uguro has warned schools not to refuse the enrolment of any student over the non-payment of fees.
“Special arrangements can be made between the parents and the school to pay the required fees over a period during the school year,” he said.
“(But) while every child has the right to education, schools also need funds to operate. Therefore parents are encouraged to cooperate with school boards and pay their fees component of 38 per cent as early as possible.”
The 2021 school year begins on Monday, Feb 1. He said the Government would pay its 62 percent component of school fees before the end of Term Three.
Parents are urged to pay half of their contribution at the start of the school year and the balance before the end of Term Two.
He reminded parents and guardians not to depend on the Government to pay schools fees.
“It is our (parents’) responsibility. The government is just there to support. You must not wait for others. You must work for yourself, otherwise the government will see that everyone is served equally,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uguro said provincial governments and district development authorities were responsible for the education of students.
“In the spirit of partnership, we urge every provincial government and district development authority to help schools and especially parents who may struggle to pay their component of the fees.”
Eight provinces – East New Britain, East Sepik, Eastern Highlands, Enga, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland and Northern – have signed an agreement with the Government to manage government school fee grants/subsidies.

5 comments

  • Thumps-up to Education Minister Jimmy Uguru for his bold stance to encourage parents take some responsibilities to pay for their children’s education. The current Marape government and any other government may come alongside parents to assist in some way, but it must be the parent’s responsibility to cater for their children’s education and everything else.

  • I definitely agree with the minister as the majority of the parents/parent cannot pay off the school fee at once for various reasons. Thus, if schools come up with some sort of arrangement for the parents/parent then it would ease a little in knowing their children can go to school.

  • Great that the ‘minister-educator teacher practitioner’ has the requisite to insists on compliance of mandatory requirements of the Education Act 1983 (as amended in 1995). The challenges Education Ministers have been facing has been interconnected to proximal and distal factors such as management from within provinces and the regulatory legislative requirements that are gouged in, espoused and policed by the Education Minister, NEB and the Directorates of the Department of Education and of course Teaching Service Commission. For instance, schools fees and aspects of school learning and teaching resources, classrooms, teacher appointments, promotion and dismissal, determining the school fee or levy must in this 21st Century be devolved to Provinces by law to manage their affairs within the absorptive capacities concerning funding, infrastructure, teacher numbers, size of classes, and localised curriculum such as the recent financial literacy, ICT, etc. Review the Education Act as soon as feasible and include the changes that the central government can no longer supervise and control given the reality is beyond ministerial authority and prerogative.
    Foremost, Education Acts in the review must regulate that schools and teachers are fined and dismissed if parents and guardians pay the schools fees and their children fail to meet the literacy and numeracy pass mark or fail to access complete school education. Government Funding must be provided when school show that all children have passed and certificated to the next level of education.

  • Well stated here, ok we (schools) don’t want delay in government’s part of fees. The government must send in its part of fees in time which not affect the normal school operations.

  • newton Ekoda ,what you have is true and I agree with it but there are lot of poor parents struggling and most of the students will stay back and after all these are the people government will put its two legs on their shoulders and move the country.I would say it is also government’s responsibility to educate students because they will work for government.For some years, I worked in mining companies and I paid K900.00 per fortnight as tax.You also pay tax.Give some relief to our poor parents. Government makes money from people and same will done to these students where government will entirely depend on.

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