The Provincial Education Board and Division of Western Highlands Province have passed a resolution that the collection of project fees is illegal.
Education Advisor, Knox Kiap has warned schools in the province to refrain from collecting fees, or they will face disciplinary action.
Kiap urged parents to notify the Board of schools that are charging extra fees.
Parents and guardians queued up outside banks in Mt Hagen very early this morning to pay project fees, before sending their children to school.
However, Provincial Education Advisor, Knox Kiap, told EMTV News today that the subsidy money for the first quarter was already transferred into the school accounts, and Schools should refrain from collecting fees.
The Education Board and the Division are in discussions with the commercial banks to prevent them from accepting any forms of payments paid by parents to the schools.
PEB Chairman, Lawrence Pena reiterated the Education Secretary, Dr. Uke Kombra’s statement, that schools who are receiving TFF funding should not collect project fees.
He said schools who wished to collect extra fees should produce a project plan or proposal as to why they need to collect fees so that the Board can give authorization. Meanwhile, Provincial TFF Coordinator,Tom Kiap said all the schools in Western Highlands Province are on track to receive TFF funding.
He said schools which have missed out on the funding in previous years, have already been sorted out to get their share this year.
Kiap said schools have no excuse to charge extra fees because 2016’s fourth quarter funding was given very late, and they should have enough to begin the academic year.
Not all schools in the Province are charging project fees. Hagen Secondary School is one example who discouraged parents from paying project fees.
