Service providers affected by delays

Story and picture by PISAI GUMAR
THE consequences of insufficient tuition free fee (TFF) funding allocation to schools in Morobe are also affecting regular operations of service providers.
One such service provider affected is Hasu Distributers (HD) Ltd which several schools owe K59,364 to.
Principal of HD Ltd Henry Yembi said business relations between schools and service providers were affected by delayed or insufficient TFF allocations.
“While waiting for TFF, schools were getting supplies on credit basis with cash advances from service providers expecting to repay them when TFF was received,” Yembi said
“When TFF is delayed or paid insufficiently, the schools are unable to pay their debts in full and the cycle continues.”
The notable high schools owing HD Ltd are Nawaeb, Morobe, Menyamya and Pindiu.
HD Ltd, located along Back Road in Lae, distributes stationery, sports equipment, furniture, hygiene `1 -and toiletry detergents, paper and packaging products, agricultural chemicals, tools, hardware products and general supplies to schools, agencies and organisations.
Yembi said that business relationship with schools was successful when parents were paying school fees, as HD Ltd had established in 2013.
Until TFF came into play in 2016-2018, it had created instability in business relationships as a result, service providers were unable to sponsor academic awards during graduations
“It is better to revert to past idea that parents take onus to pay school fees and government subsidises school fees.
“Otherwise, government allocates full amounts to respective schools to manage themselves in a term and if administration misuses the money, then they must be held accountable.
“Instead to allocate 40 per cent administration components to schools and diverting 30 per cent curriculum component to Treid Pacific and 30 per cent infrastructure component to respective districts authority (DDA) it still fails because the intended purpose of those money is actually not eventuating” Yembi said.