Govt warns schools

HEADS of schools around the country have been warned of suspension without pay if they continue to collect school and projects fees from students.
Education secretary Dr Uke Kombra, in a strongly-worded circular yesterday, said school heads defying directives from the department would be charged, suspended, or suspended from payroll.
“(The) payment of school fees and project fees (have already) been taken care of by the Government, and thus parents and students must not be forced to pay any fees,” Kombra said in the statement.
“All schools must comply by not collecting school fees and project fees. Heads of schools will be held accountable for any non-compliance.”
Classes began yesterday for 2023, with at least one school in Port Moresby declaring that it would be charging fees to parents as the money allocated by the Government was inadequate to cover all school operations and projects.
Kombra said his directive yesterday applied to preschools (formerly elementary schools), primary schools, junior high schools, secondary schools, national school of excellence, vocational schools, FODE (Flexible Open Distance Education) in provinces and inclusive education resource centres.
He said in the case of the head of school being suspended, inspectors in consultation with the provincial education boards “will ensure that deputy heads of schools will take control of schools during the suspension period”.
“Copies of the charges and suspensions without pay must be forwarded to the assistant secretary inspections division (for forwarding) to the assistant secretary Payroll for the suspended school heads to be taken off the pay in line with the suspension notices,” he said.
“(Pay for) the defiant school heads can only be restored after all due disciplinary processes that come under the PEBs and NEB are fully and duly completed, and the secretary and chairman (of the Teaching Service Commission) are informed accordingly.”