Minister: Acquittals to be done by principals

 THE Department of Education has been asked to come out clear if the role of providing acquittals for schools could be done by administrative officers other than principals. 

Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar questioned Acting Education Minister James Marape (pictured) in Parliament last Thursday if arrangements could be made to free school principals from handling acquittals. 

Tabar said there were instances where acquittals were not handed in on time by school principals because they were too busy with other businesses concerning the school. 

He raised the concern that the free education policy had made some parents and guardians lazy.

Tabar said parents and guardians were developing the mentality that the government would be responsible for everything concerning education.

In response, Marape said that school principals were administrators and it was a requirement that they presented an acquittal annually.

He said this was applicable to all agencies of the state.

Marape said the government had the second batch of funds ready to roll out to schools but it would only be effected when the acquittals from schools were received by the department. 

He said that there must be some element of responsibility among stakeholders, including parents and guardians.

Marape said parents and guardians’ role to support education still stood while embracing the government’s tuition fee free education policy to support the school system.