Highlands schools await subsidies

 By ELIAS LARI

MANY schools in the Highlands region are still waiting for the third quarter of school fee subsidies to be paid, according to the PNG Teachers’ Association.

PNGTA Highlands branch regional secretary John Melson said yesterday that school operations would be affected if the subsidies were not paid.

“I have received several complaints that schools are not receiving their third quarter subsidy as yet and fear that it might affect them,” he said.

“My office is concerned. This is not right as schools need funds to operate and I’m appealing to the education department to fast-track and look into it so that it cannot delay the learning process.”

Melson said Wabag Primary School, in Enga, was one of the many schools that it did not receive its subsidies. He said the Education Department needed to pay the subsidies so that schools continued to operate.

“As the regional secretary of the PNGTA Highlands branch I do not like to see that schools in the region will suffer like that,” Melson said.

“Education should be given the priority, which is the key to success and prosperity.

“We need to help schools and teachers not to face the same problem again so it is my appeal to the education department to help provide the subsidy funds as soon as possible.

“There are many areas which schools will look into like infrastructure, learning materials and food rations, especially for boarding schools. These areas will affect children’s education when they lack financial support.”

Melson said that term three had just begun and it was vital that schools their subsidies immediately to continue operations.