Numu allocates K3mil to pay fees for EHP students

EASTERN Highlands students attending tertiary institutions will have their tuition fees subsidised with a K3 million grant this year, Governor Peter Numu says.
Numu, once a vibrant student leader at University of Papua New Guinea a few years ago, said he did not want parents in his province who have children attending universities and colleges feel the pain he went through.
He set aside K3 million in his 2019 budget for this purpose.
The break-up for how much per student and the number of students in each institution to get the assistance will be done once the budget is approved.
Numu said the school fee assistance did not cover primary, high and secondary schools.
“We cannot assist primary and secondary school students because their fees have already been accounted for through the government’s TFF (tuition fee free) policy,” he said.
“Parents are not supposed to pay any fees because the word ‘free’ means you go to school and do not pay anything.
“I see this is not happening as schools are still charging fees.
“If schools are still charging the fees, then this policy is not a reality.
“I see this TFF policy is not working.
“We have to be realistic.
“How can you say free education when funds are not reaching schools or insufficient to meet the school’s running costs?”