State queries hike in fees

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By GYNNIE KERO, GLENDA AWIKIAK and EREBIRI ZURENUOC
STATE universities planning to increase fees must justify to the Government first why it is necessary, says Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Pila Niningi.
He was responding to an announcement by the University of PNG last week that compulsory fees would be increased this year.
Yesterday, the University of Technology (Unitech) in Lae also announced a 10 per cent increase in compulsory fees this year.
Niningi told The National that the universities must explain to him why the increases were necessary.
“They are yet to come back to me and submit it (explanation),” he said.
“They have to justify why (they need) the increase.”
He said it was unfair to “surprise” parents and students with huge hike in fees.
“Fees have to systematically go up – not a sudden big jump,” he said.
“UPNG will have to convince me why (they need) the increase. They have to give me the reason why.”
UPNG public relations and event management director Jim Robins said the “marginal” increase was the first time they were increasing the compulsory fee since 2014.
For the Waigani campus and the Taurama Health Science at UPNG, the compulsory fee increases to K4,242 from K2,939 last year.
For the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) programme at Taurama, and the Nursing School, the compulsory fee is going up to K4,896 from K2,939 last year. All other fees such as for accommodation remain the same.
Robins also claimed that the Government had failed to honour a commitment it made last year to financially support UPNG if it did not increase fees.
Unitech’s public relations officer Tabitha Wosse said they needed to increase the compulsory fee by 10 per cent this year because there was no increase in 2017 and 2018.
“The level of funding from the Government over the years has been insufficient to support the operational cost. And with rising cost of living, it is necessary to raise the fees to offset costs,” she said.

3 comments

  • Apart from increasing compulsory fees for UPNG the boarding and Lodging fees are unacceptably very expensive for a low to medium income earner. UPNG administration must review these fees and standardise fees to a resonable and affordable amount whereby parents at all levels can afford to pay. For example Games village is K12 000 per year per student despite been a shared room.This is a premier university of PNG and its student services must improve and merge with other national and international universities .
    I appeal onbehalf of other disgruntled dissatisfied parents .

  • NEC must take this into great consideration and allocate more than enough subsidise to UPNG, it is a state university.
    why is that fees are still increasing??
    where is all the financial report for the tuition fee that student paid and financial report for government subsidiary????????
    audit must be employed in the university of Papua New Guinea to do the thorough check on the money be used that particular area, no audit’s there so they take whatever they want with no trace and they still want more from student to feed their own tummy..
    Government and UPNG staffs don’t relay on students tuition fees, work faithfully and possess honesty and the great Lord will bless your job and you’ll be blessed from the little you earn.
    If you still too much from the poor then the result for that would be the sooner you’ll be expected to varnishe yourself from the universe.

    Your blessing is your job, don’t ever abuse your job. Do everything and something right and just for everyone.
    The more you possess evil practices, you collecting and saving nails,timber, for your own coffin.

    DON’T POSSESS ANY STEALING PRACTICES.

  • Education is Expensive.
    Students attending these university MUST NOT take it for granted that money has been invested in them without worrying about to pay it back. In western countries, many students take “Student Loans” in banks to pay for their own tuitions, etc. thus the result in their strive, commitment, enthusiasm, etc. and at the end of the day, become winners themselves.

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