Late, reduced GTFS results in water cuts
The National Government’s Tuition fee free program, while received well by many, has also been met with much criticism.
Parents, research bodies and international organizations like the Asian Development bank have raised concerns about the compromise to learning as a result of the large number of students in classes, ranging from 30 to over 50 or even 60 - making it difficult for quality teaching and learning.
The tuition fee free funds have also been late in reaching schools, forcing many to scrape around for internal funds to get them by, until funds are disbursed, usually months later.
The previous weeks saw another issue, that of very high water bills - forcing water supply to several schools in the nation’s capital to be cut and schools prompted to close their doors until this was rectified.
One school in the nation’s capital was faced with over K180,000 in outstanding water bills, and had their supply disconnected by Water PNG.
The school was requested to pay 50 percent of the total bill, or about K90,000 - monies of which it didn’t have.
The teacher in charge spoke to NBC News on conditions of anonymity, said they had to suspend classes for a week to sort out these outstandings in order to have water reconnected.
“I am charged like four-thousand and five-hundred-kina monthly and my bill went as far as K180,000. And I'm asked to pay the 50%, plus the reconnection fee. It accumulated up to K66,000.”
The school paid an upfront of 10-thousand kina to have water restored, with a monthly payment plan of 5-thousand kina.
The water bills are usually catered for in the TFF funds disbursed to schools, but there’s been a significant decrease in these fundings, besides its late dispatch.
The first quarter payment to this school was over K100,000, it further decreased to K85, 000 in the second term and this quarter -the school is expecting a K66,000.
With a student population of close to 4-thousand, and each child allocated K297 for their teaching and learning materials, the school is expected to receive over K1 million for the year.
Each term, the school should be receiving K290,000 to smoothly run and administer quality education, however this has not been the case.
Water cuts not isolated
Another school in the nation’s capital was also faced with a similar situation when NBC News visited.
The school suspended classes for 4 days after its water was cut, due to a water bill of K38,000, with a similar requirement of a 50-percent payment for reconnection.
The teacher in charge who wished to remain anonymous, said the school paid a first Ten thousand-kina with an agreement to sort the remaining outstanding through monthly payments.
“I wrote a letter to them [Water PNG] and made an arrangement. I renewed the arrangement that I did with the government to continue with my monthly payment. I promised them money to pay another K20,000.”
With a school population of over 1300 students, the tuition free fee funds was expected at over K400,000 with quarterly payments of K100,000 each.
The teacher in charge revealed, this has been significantly cut to just K32,000 in term 1, and a further K32,000 in term 2.
It's unclear how much the school will receive for the third quarter.
Increased bills amidst water cuts
Meanwhile, another school was surprised to learn of an K800, 000 in water bills, despite having water cuts 3-times in a week.
NBC News is seeking comments from Water PNG.
They were fortunately spared water disconnection.
Its Head teacher who also spoke anonymously to NBC News, revealed the school power bills were also between the range of 8-thousand-kina to 10-thousand-kina on average in a month.
“And with 800,000, you know, that means that's all right. We'll pay the water bill and then how about the school operations? On average, our school bills, too, are between 8-thousand-kina to 10 - thousand-kina on average in a month.”
Like the other schools, tuition fee free funds have been cut drastically.
The head teacher said they've received between K70,000 to K100,000 these past terms of 1 and 2.
With a school of that population size, their expected fund distribution was supposed to be about K133,000 per term or quarter.
This funding is not equivalent to the 1800 students the school has.
Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra in response, says “as far as he knows, there is no cut in the government tuition fee free subsidy - adding this can only happen if there is a drop in enrolments.”
He added that all third quarter or term subsidies have been paid out last week, totaling about K195 million for all three quarters.
Minister Lucas Dawa Dekena also told NBC News the department is implementing the “PNG Accessibility Remote Index" or PARI to prioritize schools in remote areas, which will receive more than schools in urban areas.