Morobe schools allowed to charge project fees: Official

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
SCHOOLS in Morobe are allowed to charge students projects fees of between K50 and K600 depending on the institutions they are attending, an official says.
Programme adviser for education Keith Jiram said the charge was to address the ongoing issue surrounding the payment of tuition fee free funding to schools by the government.
But he warned schools not to turn away students who have not paid.
“It should not be a reason for schools to turn away students during enrolment,” he said.
“All students must go to school, and parents can make part payments of project fees until it is complete.” He said the provincial education board, under the Morobe Provincial Education Act, was allowing schools to “collect, charge and impose project fees”.
Jiram said TFF funds were often received late in the term which affected daily operations. Project fees approved to be charged are:
lSchools receiving TFF: Elementary K200, Community/Primary K300, High/Secondary K600, Tvet K500.
lSchools not receiving TFF: Elementary K300, Community/Primary K400, High/Secondary K700, Tvet K500.
lFor student transfer and repeat: Elementary K50, Community/Primary K100, High/Secondary K150, Tvet K100.
Huonville Primary School head teacher Willie Vilakiva said the provincial education board allowed the school to charge a K300 project fee.
“We were told to have two accounts –one for the project fees, and one for the TFF,” he said.
“Our situation is completely different from other schools and I would like to see that project fees are collected because all our infrustructures are down.”
The school buildings were condemned by health authorities in April last year, forcing the suspension of classes. With the help of parents and businesses, the school managed to build 13 classrooms to allow at least “shift teaching” for the rest of the 2018 academic year.