Schools receive tuition fee funds

STUDENTS from the Gazelle district in East New Britain attending the Kokopo Business College and Kabaleo Teachers College had their tuition fees paid on Tuesday.
Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar, who is also the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, delivered cheques totalling K172,255.78 to both institutions.
Kokopo Business College received K88,846.78 for 167 students and Kabaleo K83,409 for 71 students.
The fees were part of a K1.5 million allocated under the district support improvement programme for this year.
Gazelle district executive officer Joe Meava said other institutions in the country that had received bigger slices of the K1.5 million were University of PNG, University of Goroka, University of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Technology, Pacific Adventist University, Divine Word University, Don Bosco Technical Institution, St Peter Channel College, Gaulim Teachers College, National Polytech and Melanesian Training Institute.
Meava said there were other institutions that had received funds below K20,000.
Tabar, while delivering the funds yesterday,  thanked the students for being “good” and for their “hard work.”
“Our country is basically going through some difficult times, please take your studies seriously and ensure your priorities are always right,” he said.
Tabar said it was important for students to understand the changing times and how they affected the district.
He said it was also part of his job to assist parents with tuition fees.
“But please tell your parents to also play their part in ensuring you get the rest of support you need from them,” he said.