Legalise Boards: Madang schools told

All schools in Madang Province, ranging from primary to secondary schools and Technical and Vocational Education [TVET] centers, must have proper boards in place.

This was the advice from the province's Acting Education Director, Alphonse Igag, to all government and agency schools [schools run by churches].

He stressed, "No one person is supposed to be making decisions alone regarding school matters, and I encourage agency schools to have school boards as well. School boards must be established in consultation with the Provincial Education Board and must be properly sworn in by the Commissioner of Oaths. By doing this, they are recognised as legal authorities to perform their duties."

Mr. Igag further stated that most school boards in Madang Province are operating illegally because they have not been sworn in. They are regarded as illegal signatories to school accounts, and this is wrong.

The decisions they make are also not in order, including decisions on how they expedite school funds. He added that this is already abuse and misuse of school funds.

"I am therefore reiterating that all school boards must go through the swearing- in process so they are recognised as legal authorities," he said.

Madang now has a Provincial Education Board that was installed in December last year, and in the absence of a school, only the PEB is the rightful signatory to school funds.