School owed over a K1mil, says principal

A SECONDARY school in Port Moresby is owed more than a million kina in fees from both the Government and parents, its principal says.
Gordon Secondary School principal George Kenega said funding from Government tuition fee subsidy had not been to the expected amount and this had impacted his school’s ability to align its budget and implement projects and initiatives.
He said his school was yet to receive K513,789 from parents and K740,544.03 from the Government subsidy.
Kenega said this had required them to change their plans and make adjustments.
He said this also resulted in delayed or incomplete projects.
“We can have the budget for all the projects and if the subsidies are not coming in full, how can we align the budget to the funds?” he said.
“It will be difficult and we have to either change or break it up to other needed areas.”
Kenega said the school had received the first and second subsidy payments most of which were used to pay for water and power bills and to pay security and ancillary staff.
He said the school’s power bill totalled K15,000 a month while water cost the school K7,000 for the same period.
He said the school enrolled 1,657 students for the year and that this number required more spending on stationery and related costs.