http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20070215/thhome.htm
A TWO-day seminar is underway in Port Moresby on how school fees should be abolished so that children in Papua New Guinea do not have to pay for education.
The meeting, initiated by the Department of Education and the United Nations Children’s Fund is attended by government departments, including National Planning, and Treasury and donor agencies such as Australia’s aid agency, AusAID, Japan, European Union, NZAID and the World Bank. Churches providing education are also participating in the seminar.
Education Secretary Dr Joseph Pagelio said after yesterday’s meeting that children had the right to education but school fee was one of the barriers to the children enjoying that right. This seminar, he said, was the first of its kind that was aimed at setting a ground-work for the formulation of a policy to abolish school fees in Papua New Guinea.
“The purpose of this seminar is to understand the issues facing PNG in terms of school fees, and then come up with strategies and mechanisms that we can use to abolish school fees,’’ said Dr Pagelio.
About 30 people are attending the seminar, a number of whom came from overseas to share experiences gained in countries where school fee had been abolished so that children are now receiving free education.
Dr Pagelio said the seminar was the first part of a long process that might take a few years before the policy on school fee abolition became a reality.
Following the seminar, he said, a few studies on issues discussed would be carried out which would be used to formulate the school fee abolition policy. The policy will then be submitted to Cabinet for approval for implementation.
“It’s (seminar) a milestone. It’s a good thing. If we can achieve it in the next five years it will be good. Many parents will be relieved of the burden.
“It will also allow the children to go to school and receive quality education,’’ said Dr Pagelio.
Among the issues being looked at include whether the policy will cover all levels of education and how much it will cost the Government and its stakeholders to implement the policy.
Dr Pagelio said the donor agencies have shown positive response and would be meeting separately today to look at how they can help the Government share the cost.
Meanwhile, Dr Pagelio said not all schools have taken heed of his appeal not to send children away for non-payment of school fees, saying a policy on abolishment of school fees would ensure no child was sent away.
Prior to the start of the school year, Dr Pagelio had appealed to heads of schools to work with parents on how school fees should be paid while children were allowed to have classes.