Governor queries higher institutes

 Higher learning institutions should not turn away students from outside the province who are waiting for their sponsors to pay their fees, a parliamentarian says.

Milne Bay Governor Titus Philemon expressed that concern yesterday in Parliament, saying the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) should increase the Government component to relieve parents of the burden of fees.

Philemon said students, especially those in their first year and who were leaving home for the first time, faced the challenges of accommodation and meals when institutions demanded payment before admission.

He said institutions should just accept assurance letters that the students took with them.

“Since the Tesas (Tertiary Education Study Assistance Scheme) component was already paid by the Government, why can’t the institutions just accept these students who have left their home,” Philemon asked.

In reply, Minister for Education Nick Kuman said higher learning institutions had their own quota on how many students they could take.