School fees fixed-First batch from K300mil

A FIRST batch of K300 million for the government’s free education has been deposited in Bank South Pacific, ready for disbursement to schools by Tuesday.Information supplied to concerned parents and students from Finance and Treasury stated that the money was deposited on Jan 9.The onus is now on the Education Department to provide BSP with the necessary school information and bank details for the transfer of funds.Parents had raised concerns when told by schools in Port Moresby to pay the tuition fees and be reimbursed when government funding was received.The riled parents said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had promised that all money would be transferred by the start of the school year."The best time to do that is after the teachers have resumed."This first batch comes from the K300 million appropriated in the supplementary budget last September.The 2012 budget appropriation of K302 million under the "fee free education" policy will be released by about June-July this year, leading to fears that the monies might not be disbursed at all or be missing in part.The K300 million will be used for the first payment. The funding would relieve the financial burden on parents and guardians of students having to pay tuition fees in 2012.The national government is taking increasingly more of the financial burden from parents in 2012 but this does not mean that parents do not have any responsibility for the education of their children.Parents are still required to pay for other non-tuition costs of education such as school uniforms, transport and lunches. Parents will be expected to support schools in the funding of projects that have been approved by respective provincial education boards.In cases where parents have paid more than the approved parental component, school authorities must refund the difference.Education secretary Dr Musawe Sinebare confirmed the transaction with the bank in an advertisement in the newspaper today.Sinebare explained in the notice: "The national government is taking increasingly more of the financial burden from parents in 2012 but this does not mean that parents do not have any responsibility for the education of their children."Parents are still required to pay for other non-tuition costs of education such as school uniforms, transport and lunches. Parents will be expected to support schools in the funding of projects that have been approved by respective provincial education boards."Sinebare gave National Education Board approved maximum tuition fee limits and national government contribution and parental contribution for each area.This is likely to create confusion and consternation as 100% tuition free education is extended only from elementary through to lower secondary.There will be limited parental contributions from vocational through to upper secondary and flexible, open and distance education.