The Imbonggu District Development Authority (IDDA) has started paying the second batch of tuition fees for its students studying in tertiary institutions throughout PNG
Last Saturday (Oct 1 2016), Member for Imbonggu, Francis Awesa presented the first payment of K111,000 for 91 students studying at the University of Goroka (UOG), Eastern Highlands Province.
Awesa said he would deliver the payments for students at the University of Technology in Lae and the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby this week.
He said fees for Imbonggu students attending teachers colleges, technical training institutions and other learning places will be paid in the coming weeks.
“We (Imbonggu district) do not have the mineral, oil and gas resources like other districts and provinces. We don’t have much coffee too.
“Our potential is in human resources and that is why I’m strongly advocating and investing in education of our children,” he stressed when handing over the cheque for UOG students.
Awesa also undertook to increase the money allocated for subsidy assistance in 2017 so that more students from Imbonggu will benefit.
He noted that the initiative has received overwhelming acceptance and support throughout Imbonggu districts and is for all students from the district, irrespective of political, tribal and other groupings.
A total of K475,000 is to be paid in the second batch, for 362 students attending educational institutions in PNG and 20 attending institutions abroad.
Tuition fees for the first batch totalling K1,590,200 for 621 students in over 80 institutions PNG-wide and abroad were paid in March this year (2016).
This is a first of its kind initiative to relieve parents and guardians who face difficulties each year to find money for school fees for their children.
The non-refundable monies are paid direct into respective institutions with strict guidelines including confirmation of acceptance letter from institutions, verified personal identification and related information are applied to avoid any abuse of process and mis-application of funds.
Imbonggu tertiary students’ subsidy programme complements the national government re-introduced tuition fee free (TFF) education in 2013 national wide.
Picture: Francis Awesa (right) stressing the importance of education before handing the cheque of K111,000 in Mendi to President of Imbonggu students at UOG, Cornelius Roger (middle). On the left is the project coordinator, Rake Mapo.