Manus approves fees for next year

THE Manus provincial education board has approved the maximum school fee limits for schools next year.
Provincial education board (PEB) chairman Pompiran Kuyei said the announcements of the fees was to give parents and guardians ample time to find the required fees for their children next year.
“School fees are needed to run the smooth operations of the schools as well as cover other liabilities in respect to the general maintenance of buildings, equipment and supplies, and other necessities of the schools,” he said.
He said parents must also appreciate that the cost of educating a child was a shared responsibility between the national and provincial governments and the parents.
Mr Kuyei said the provincial and national governments’ contributions usually come in the form of school fees subsidies to schools.
He said a circular would be circulated to all schools to advice them of next year’s maximum fee limits.
It is anticipated that both government’s contributions would increase next year.
In view of this increase, the new fee limits for each level of schools are as follows: Elementary schools (no fees to be charged), lower primary (Grades Three-Six) – K60 (reduction of K20), upper primary schools (Grades Seven-Eight) – K150 (from K180), secondary schools (Grades Nine-10) – K400 (no change), secondary schools (Grades Nine-10 boarding) – K950 (no change), secondary schools (Grades 11-12 non-resident) – K600 (no change) and secondary schools (Grades 11-12 boarding) – K1,150 (no change); vocational (non-residential) – K300 (no change); vocational boarding – K500 (increase of K100) and FODE (unchanged at K160 per subject).