School enrollment increases by 50pc

ENROLLMENT in elementary and primary schools has increased by 50 per cent over the last five years, following the Governments’ tuition fee-free (TFF) policy, according to Minister for Education Nick Kuman.
“There has been an increase of enrollment from 1.6 million students to currently 2.2 million students. When you see the growth you know that the policy is working.”
He said this during the 26th Senior Education Officers Conference at 17 Mile outside Port Moresby on Wednesday.
Kuman said since the introduction of the TFF policy, the Government has spent K2.7 billion to implement it.
“Of the PSIP (provincial service improvement programme) and DISP (district service improvement programme) funds 20 per cent is for education and health and if managed well you will see obvious growth.”
Kuman said the Government also focused on building classrooms and teachers’ houses to cater for the increase in student numbers.
He also said that plans and discussions were underway for the standard-based Education curriculum to be brought back to schools.
“By 2021 standard-based education will be fully integrated. Through the demands of parents and many stakeholders we have decided to do away with the outcome-based education system.”