New Ireland students’ fees sorted

THE New Ireland government has subsidised school fees for tertiary and secondary school students this year, says subsidy officer Mactil Bais.
Bais said the government had been subsidising food rations for boarding schools, transport for remote island schools, scholarships for top-performing students, institutional grants, Australian college scholarships, tertiary education subsidy and the tuition fee-free component.
She said K1,605,179.75 was used for 1282 tertiary students, three meals a day for 4580 secondary and vocational students, while six island schools were paid K10,000 each for transport expenses.
The update on the implementation of the subsidy policies from January to September 2018 was presented to the New Ireland provincial executive council last week.
“Tuition fees payments for 619 male and 663 female tertiary students were made directly to students’ accounts using electronic banking systems,” she said.
“Rations were supplied to 2270 male and 2310 female students in all boarding secondary and vocational schools.”
She said the processing of further subsidy payments had been halted pending the release of new warrants.
“The procurement of term 4 rations was delayed due to the unavailability of funds,” she said.
“The subsidy office will procure the term 4 rations as soon as new warrants are released.”