TFF funding not working for schools in Morobe

A senior teacher in Morobe says tuition fee-free (TFF) education is not working effectively because many schools still have not received their funding.
Milfordhaven Primary deputy head teacher Yelo Amu said TFF funding to the school was not given on time and not received in full last year. He said the school was not able to pay for infrastructure, operational costs, water bills and ancillary staff.
Amu said the school was really dependant on TFF but that funding was not coming through.
“We have more than 700 students and was supposed to receive more than K150,000 last year, but received less than K80,000,” Amu said.
He said last year’s TFF subsidy to the schools was not paid in full.
“The 62 boxes of school materials distributed to the school will not be enough for the school’s 18 classes. The materials and stationeries are poor in quantity and quality,” Amu said.
He said the school had not received the other 30 per cent for infrastructure, which was paid to the district, and a 40 per cent component funding for administration.
Gantom Primary head teacher Martina Tanialu said the school was not told if the materials were for a term or a year.
Tanialu said the Education Department should use an updated 2017 student data for distribution and not the 2015 data.
Distributor LD Logistics representative Nicholas Liosi said the distribution was done based on students’ data from 2015.
However, Morobe TFF coordinator Joseph Tounokon said 30 per cent of the funding allocated for infrastructure has been paid to schools since last year and not to the districts.
He said the purchase of the stationery was done on time but it was distributed late.
He said this year’s first quarter payment will hopefully be made this week.