School principals charging unapproved additional fees to be suspended, warns Education Secretary
All schools in the public education system are warned not to charge additional fees on their students in the 2024 academic year.
A school principal denying a student classroom space because of unapproved project fees “from Monday 5th February will [be] charged and suspended without pay with immediate effect,” warned Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra.
Project fees sanctioned by individual school’s parents and citizens board and the “project proposal” approved by the Provincial Education Board or National Education Board “specifying the project, the budget shortfall, the years it will take to complete the project [schools] are [allowed] to collect any fees,” Dr Kombra said.
The education secretary admits “despite official instructions for students not to be charged additional school fees and denying their right to classes, we are getting many reports of defiant heads of schools,” after school commenced this week.
Under the Marape – Rosso Government ‘free education policy’, earlier this month, Prime Minister James Marape presented a dummy cheque to be banked to all public registered schools bank accounts to cover term one fees.
Dr Kombra confirmed “K314million to cover for term one tuition, boarding and project fees for every student was remitted directly to school accounts or through provincial trust accounts last week Thursday and Friday.”
He further said the public can hold defiant head teachers accountable by reporting to the local school inspector or the education department’s Government Tuition Fee Subsidy Division, with accompanying evidence of fees being charged, notices for fees to be paid, deposit forms or receipts on this contact details Email: gtfsinfo@education.gov.pg/ Phones 3288800/72668181/7577792.