schools

The Department of Education emphasizes that no school fees or project fees are to be charged by schools in the national education system in 2023.

Following the Education Minister’s policy statement made in Parliament regarding the government’s Tuition Fee Policy for 2023, Minister Jimmy Uguro held a press conference in Port Moresby to clarify the details on Thursday 19 January 2023.

The province budgets for K300,000 annually however, that is also insufficient.Morobe’s provincial program advisor for education, Keith Tangui, highlighted that the province needs over K300 million to effectively conduct activities in the education sector.

The province is massive, with 1,427 schools, over 2,600,000 students and 3,656 teachers.Tangui said in line with the 3-6-6 structure, schools need more infrastructure.

“We need money to erect infrastructure, put more desks in, buy more curriculum books,” Tangui outlined.

Secretary Dr. Uke Kombra says instructions were issued to all schools to resume normal classes on July 25 and August 1 for other schools due to election-related violence and disturbances.

Provincial Education Advisors were also advised to assess the situation in their provinces and decide on an appropriate decision.

However, news reports of schools still closed and low turnout by students and teachers in the last two weeks has caught the attention of the Department.

The Ministry of Education said Chinese President Xi Jinping's "thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era" would be taught from primary school level all the way to university.

The move is aimed at strengthening "resolve to listen to and follow the Party" and new teaching materials must "cultivate patriotic feelings", the guidelines said.

Since coming to power in 2012, the Chinese President has sought to strengthen the ruling Chinese Communist Party's role in all areas of society, including its businesses, schools and cultural institutions.

However, for some schools in Port Moresby, it was a slow first-day as students were sent home.

Waigani Primary School in Port Moresby was among others that opened its doors to its students, but only for a mere 4 hours before they were sent home.

They were told that classes will officially start tomorrow, Tuesday 5^th May.

Tough instructions have been issued to schools, to follow certain guidelines, or face closure. One of this, is social distancing.

With schools to resume next week on the 4^th of May, Education Minister Joseph Yopyyopy says his office is still looking into possibilities of safe teaching.

He said schools can have two classes per day with one batch to start from 8 – 1 o’clock and the other from 2 o’clock till the end of the day.

“This is what we face in the urban schools, schools in Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul, Mt. Hagen. Those main centers that you have overcrowding of students in one class, we are working on that.

When giving a rundown on the relaxation of certain SOE restrictions, Controller David Manning said tertiary institutions have recommenced this week while secondary and primary schools are set to start next week.

“However, if I can remind all parents and guardians, that this is optional – to either allow your children or those under your care to attend classes as of next week Monday,” Manning stated.

“Let me again remind you all that COVID-19 is here to stay. To stop it from spreading, it will not kill you to follow simple health measures.”

The Ministry of Education has issued instructions to schools to recover the lost instruction hours and to continue in this 2020 academic year.

Minister for Education Joseph Yopyyopy has issued directives to all teachers from elementary to Secondary schools to resume on the 27^th of April to prepare for the resumption of classes on the 4^th of May.

Term 2 classes will start on the 4^th of May and will end on the 10^th of July.  Term 3 will start as per the Education Calendar which is on the 20^th of August.

In December a two month old child from New Zealand was admitted to LBJ Hospital with symptoms of the disease.

The Department of Health is driving a campaign to promote immunisation after recent cases were recorded in the Northland region of New Zealand

Medical Director Joseph Tufa said parents should make sure their children are protected from the potentially deadly disease.

The department has asked parents to provide proof that their children have received the meningococcal vaccine and booster shot.

Secretary Dr Uke Kombra said the theme was chosen to give prominence to the newly introduced Citizenship and Christian Values Education (CCVE) curriculum, which has been made a compulsory subject from 2019 onwards.

Violence, be it physical, emotional or verbal, must be addressed in society and educating the young now can make a difference.