A warrant of K75.6 million has been received by the Department of Education as payment for the second part of the Tuition Free Fee Education subsidies.
Education Minister Nick Kuman announced this in Parliament today when responding to questions by the Member for Anglimp South Waghi, Joe Koim.
Koim queried the timely release of funds to schools in his electorate and the delivery of the commodity component of the tuition free fee education.
Koim raised concerns that many schools in his electorate were not happy that teacher and students’ resources did not arrive on time and that schools did not have enough funds to purchase their own as funds also do not arrive on time.
Minister Kuman in response said his department engaged a contractor in 2013 to trial the roll out of the commodity component of TFF, but said after a review, abolished this arrangement and instead started paying this component of TFF as cash to schools and it is up to each school to purchase their own materials.
In reply to the late release of funds, Kuman said funds for the 1st term of 2016 have already been released, including those from the last term of 2015 and schools should have enough monies to keep them running until the 2nd part of payments are made.
And these payments are expected to be released at the end of next week as the education department has received a warrant of K75.6 million two weeks ago.