School fees up in ENB next year

PARENTS in East New Britain province will have to dig deeper into their pockets to meet the approved increase of school fees next year.
The provincial education board had approved school fee upper limits for secondary, vocational, primary and elementary schools from next year.
Education board chairman Aquila Tubal said this when addressing the final provincial corporate team and education board meetings.
Mr Tubal said the increase of school fees at secondary and vocational schools was 40% on the current rate while fees were the same at primary and elementary schools.
He announced that in secondary schools, Grades Nine and 10 boarding students would pay K860, an increase of K260 (43%) from this year while day students would pay K550, an increase of K150 (38%) for next year.
Mr Tubal said for Grades 11 and 12, parents would have to pay K970 for boarders, an increase of K260 (37%) while day students pay K570, an increase of K170 (30%).
Vocational students will pay an increase of K200 (33%) from K800 for boarders while day students will pay K570, increasing by K170 (43%).
He said there were issues among others that were taken into consideration to try and minimise school fees that were affordable by parents, however, most secondary and vocational schools had requested school fees increase next year.