Lera pays school fees

 By FRANCIS PULU
MORE than 700 Bougainville students will be recipients of school fee assistance under the Provincial Services Improvement Programme (PSIP) funding from the Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Regional Member for Bougainville Joe Lera.
He has submitted a final and approved list of students to the Finance and Treasury Department in Bougainville to release funds for the payments which would be disbursed directly to the students’ school accounts.
The school fee assistance is part of Lera’s ongoing commitment to education as his third pillar of development.
It caters for students studying abroad and at local institutions including universities, colleges, technical colleges, vocational centres and secondary schools.
Lera said payments for students overseas would be picked up by parents or guardians and deposited into schools accounts.
He encouraged the students to concentrate in their studies in order to achieve their aims and to contribute meaningfully for the development of Bougainville.
During his term Lera has allocated K1.2 million annually for school fee assistance.
His first task as Minister for Bouganville after his appointment in April was to facilitate a meeting between ABG and Government.