School-fee assistance

THE Member for Mendi-Munihu recently announced a school-fee support programme for tertiary students from his electorate this year.
That was received with opened arms by parents and indeed it was a positive statement to the people and a sign of his commitment to education in the electorate.
However, supporting certain students only and neglecting others does not make a fair education programme for the electorate.
An MP cannot fund projects in all parts of an electorate at the same time because projects are prioritised based on funding requirements. People do understand that and they therefore wait for their turn.
For example, an airstrip can be constructed in an election supporters’ area, and that’s still fine because the airstrip can still be used by everyone else.
The same applies to bridges, classrooms, roads, etc, regardless where in the electorate they go.
However, it is inexcusable to pay the school fees of some students only and neglect others when they belong in the same electorate and require the same level of assistance in the same academic year.
Funding school fees is not the same as funding physical projects.
Helping some students only and neglecting others isn’t right be cause not all can benefit from one person’s personal advantage.
We should not have that in Mendi-Munihu.

Humbun Ghen Wais
POM