Official: Pay outstanding TFF payments

AN education official has urged the Government to pay up all tuition fee-free payments for the past academic year.
Jiwaka education adviser Dr Charly Muke said schools in the province had received only half of what was supposed to be paid by the Government to them.
He said since the Government had announced that it would resume its free education policy this year, it first should pay the amounts owed to schools from the last academic year.
“There is no guarantee that this fee education policy will work if the government continues to dishonour its commitment to pay fees in full,” Dr Muke said.
The first payment was made at the start of the school year, the second payment in the middle of the year and the final payment in the fourth term.
“However for Jiwaka, the final payments were never made and many schools struggled towards the end of last year,” he said.
Muke has also urged the Government to increase the amount of funds to the province for teachers’ leave entitlements.
The province has more than 3,000 teachers and the K500,000 received last year was insufficient.
“Try distribute K500,000 among 3,000-plus teachers and see if that is workable,” Dr Muke said.
“Only 800 teachers have received their leave entitlements and it’s not fair to deny others of their leave entitlements just because the funds received were insufficient.”