Fode centres told not to demand fees from students

By JINA AMBA
THE Flexible Open and Distance Education (Fode) centres have been warned not to collect fees from students after complaints were raised by some parents in Morobe and Western Highlands.
Principal of the National Fode office Anthony Rayappan said the complaints were being addressed.
“We did receive some complaints which were addressed immediately,” he said.
“We had sent the Fode centres notices not to charge any fees, especially subject fees.”
Rayappan said the Fode centres which charged fees were not aware of the government directive.
The directive was that the centres must not charge subject fees and to enrol all student irrespective of whether they have paid any fees.
“We told them to refund any subject fees they have collected,” he said.
Rayappan said there were some private agencies also offering Fode courses and charging fees.
“They must refrain from charging subject fees because the Government has given the directive not to charge fees,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rayappan said they were also introducing accounting courses in grades 11 and 12.
“Because of the increasing demand, students were requesting to do accounting,” he said.
“So we are introducing accounting courses in grades 11 and 12.”
The Education Department assured the Fode centres that a percentage of the government school fee subsidy would be credited to their bank accounts this week.