Kuman pushes for tertiary loan scheme to help students

HIGHER Education Research, Science and Technology Minister Nick Kuman wants to reduce tuition fees for tertiary institutions to allow financially disadvantaged students to enrol.
Kuman said he wanted students, especially from remote areas in the country, to attend tertiary institutions they had qualified for with affordable fees.
“I will pursue the tertiary loan scheme for students to apply for loans to pay for their fees and when they work after graduating they can repay their loans from their salaries.
“Currently, the fees are too high that bright children from remote areas throughout the country cannot afford it so they remain back in the village.
“With the tertiary loan scheme, it will enable them to afford the fees for their desired institutions to pursue their goals,” Kuman said when taking over the ministry from Pila Niningi at the Aopi Centre in Port Moresby yesterday.
Meanwhile, Niningi in his last task also launched the online registry of all the higher institutions in the country.
The register provides up-to-date accessible information for students, parents, institutions, the government and the wider public on all registered Higher Education Institutions and the programmes they offer.
Niningi said parents and students could be reassured in the knowledge that there was transparent and up-to-date information available to help them.