The question of whether church run tertiary institutions like Divine Word and the Pacific Adventist, are included in the National Budget, remains unanswered.
This is because these universities have been educating the country’s human resources who are instilled with values of good morals, and ethical conduct.
In 2013, at a gathering at Divine Word University in Madang, Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill promised, to include them in the budget.
Today, National Planning Minister, Charles Abel, was questioned by EMTV on whether or not this arrangement would eventuate.
Mr Abel said that institutions like Divine Word University and others have also benefited through development partnership funding, particularly, for example the incentive funds.
“DWU has received a lot of funding through the incentive funds and some of the other universities that have applied and met the criteria, to access those kind of funding as well,”
“And then off course, some of the THESAS, allowance, provided also go towards the students who attend, which then contributes towards the cost of running those institutions,”
“So the funding has been forthcoming, again the intention is there, we always want to give more but its limited,” he said.
Minister Abel said that government has been funding, not only state institutions but Church run tertiary institutions through the development budget,”
“We will continue from 2017 and onwards,” he said.
