Schools in PNG warned not to charge fees

The Education Department has reiterated its warning that schools operating legally under the national education system must not charge students project fees this year.

Education Secretary Michael Tapo said in a media statement yesterday that schools charging project fees would face disciplinary action, including suspension of school heads regardless of the project fees endorsed by the provincial education boards last year.

This directive applies to elementary, primary, provincial high and secondary schools, vocational centres, national high schools, flexible and open distance education, inclusive education resource centres and approved permitted schools.

Mr Tapo warned also that boards of schools and institutionsmust comply with his instruction by not collecting any project fees. The Education Department would take necessary disciplinary actions on heads of schools and institutions who defied this instruction.

Mr Tapo said in the case of provinces which have provincial education laws, schools and institutions boards, the provincial education authorities would be asked to suspend these boards.

In other cases where a province does not have a provincial education law, the NEB would take the necessary action to suspend the board.

The secretary’s instruction also demanded that all provincial education board approved project fees for schools in their respective provinces should be withdrawn immediately.

"All school boards and principals are not to collect or charge any form of fees approved by their provincial education boards. Likewise, school boards and administrators are not allowed to collect or charge project fees not approved by their provincial education boards. "Furthermore parents that have already paid for project fees must collect refunds," Mr Tapo said.

The department urged parents, guardians and stakeholders to report those defying instructions to: Highlands regional TFF coordinator phone 3013416; Momase regional TFF coordinator phone 3013415; NGI regional TFF coordinator phone 3013419; and Southern regional TFF coordinator phone 3014803.