PNG Education Minister urges governors to deal with schools charging fees to parents

The Minister for Education, Nick Kuman is urging all provincial governors to start taking action on schools in their respective provinces that continue to charge fees to parents.
The minister when responding to the question from the Morobe governor, Kelly Naru on what the department is doing in regards to this matter, says the Tuition Fee Free (TFF) funds are for schools to handle the year’s operation and there is no need for fees to be charged as stated in the government’s Free Education Policy.

The Education minister says what is being done is illegal and if provincial governments don't do anything about it; he will use his power under the Education Act of PNG to suspend the principals and the boards’ of schools found continuing to charge fees.

“Last week I made in plain clear on this floor of parliament that no student in this country will be turn away from any school of which they are recipients of TFF in the country and I point out couple of schools in NCD, including Kila Kila Secondary School, Gordons Secondary and Tokarara Secondary School,” he said

Meantime, he added that those provinces that have an Education Act, the responsibility has being decentralized to those provinces. It’s separate Act but the application of that Act doesn’t override the policy of the National Government. The policy decision of government override the education act in the provinces meaning that still no fees will be charged in school despite what the provincial education acts states.
PNGFM