Jiram: Rural schools borrowing to cover decrease in TFF funds

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
SCHOOLS in remote parts of Morobe will have to borrow more to cover operational costs in term three, education adviser Keith Jiram says.
This is because of the decrease in tuition fee free (TFF) funding for term two.
Jiram confirmed that many schools had seen a general decrease in the TFF funding allocations.
However, he maintained that the charging of project fees was to keep the schools in operation until the academic year ends.
A teacher at Hobu Elementary School in Nawaeb, Nick Komabo, confirmed that the school received less TFF funding during the end of term two.
The Education Department recently announced receiving only K25 million for the second quarter TFF payments for schools, with an outstanding balance of K75 million for term two.
A senior teacher at Amba Demonstration Primary School, Mund Yalamu, told The National on Friday that school supplies were expensive to transport from Lae to schools in remote Morobe.
A source from Dregerhafen Secondary School, in Finschhafen, explained that most rural parents could not afford project fees, because of the lack of economic opportunities to earn revenue, forcing the school to accept partial payments.
Lae Secondary School principal and chairperson of Morobe head teachers and principals conference, Christopher Raymond, told The National last week that nearly all high schools and secondary schools in Morobe received less than half of the expected yearly total so far.
“There is no confirmation on whether there will be some payment early term three,” he said.
“Most schools have indicated the last payment made out to schools were small amounts and were all absorbed into debts owing to service providers accumulated over term two.
“Whether schools will have some TFF money coming in soon to run operations in term three is to be seen.”
Term three starts today.