Refund all collected project fees, Kombra says

 ACTING Secretary of Education Dr Uke Kombra is advising schools to refund any project fees collected this year – and stop any further collections.

He warned schools to follow the single integrated tuition free policy and support the Government’s intention to see every child from Prep to Grade 12 going to school. 

He said there were different sections in the policy approved by Cabinet late last year – one on project fees.

“At that time and soon after that, we were aware that many schools across the country were not following the process that was set in the single policy – the tuition fee free single policy,” he said.

He said schools must initially have a meeting with parents and community members to agree on a project. Then then the project will then be scoped and posted.

“Everyone in that meeting will agree to that single project that has to be completed at least within a year,” he said.

“That proposal then goes to the provincial education board for approval and when approved, then that fee will apply to the student who attends that school.”

But he said schools used that as a condition for enrolment and had charged parents without following the correct procedure.

He said Education Minister Nick Kuman took the matter back to Cabinet which approved the tuition fee free policy to improve on the management and disbursement. No other fees including the project and church agency fees should be imposed on parents and guardians as approved by Cabinet.