School principals suspended for charging fees

EDUCATION Minister Nick Kuman is disappointed with school principals and boards who are defying the directive not to charge students any fees.
He issued the statement as eight school principals were suspended for charging fees.
The schools are Vanimo Secondary School, Tokarara Secondary School, Kilakila Secondary School, Gerehu Secondary School, Koiari Park Secondary School, Marianville Secondary School, Della Salle Secondary School and Jubilee Catholic Secondary School.
“What is frustrating is that some of the schools are using these fees as a condition of enrolment and are denying the children their basic right to education,” Kuman said.
“The Education Secretary (Dr Uke Kombra) had issued instructions to all schools not to collect fees or, worse, turn students away from enrolling for classes (if they do not pay).
“The department had paid K97 million to schools last Monday and is going to pay more than K50 million soon. So school principals must budget and spend these funds according to their School Learning Improvement Plans (SLIP).”
He said there were reports that schools which collected fees with the promise to refund parents later when the government subsidy arrived never did so.