FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL

The National 17 August 2011

It will be a dream come true for all parents who are struggling to pay their children’s school fees if the free education policy is introduced next year.

In my opinion, the free education policy is a political ploy. We all know that PNG is having population problems such as increased rural-urban drift, criminal activities, tribal fights and poor living standards.

What is the government’s plan to accommodate all the children who are currently not attending school?

Right now, we are facing a shortage of teachers, houses for teachers, classrooms and study materials. The package for teachers in unattractive and many are reluctant to go to remote areas due to limited or nil government services and access.

Many of our schools are now facing problems of overcrowding, shortage of stationery and outdated library books.

How is the government to address all these matters in the next 6 months? We do not even have enough government-run universities and colleges for the privileged and rising middle class.

Free education can not be achieved over this short period of time considering the above issues. I urge the government to be more realistic.

Editorial Post Courier 17 August 2011

Parents have a whole year to raise this money and we are of the view that these are amounts that can be raised when parents put their mind to it but this is not happening.

As parents, they must take ownership of their children’s upbringing and that includes paying school fees.

They have no right to expect help from anyone if the father or mother have been squandering all the family’s income on betelnut, smokes and other unproductive activities for 10 months in the year without giving any thought to school fees.

Then there is the other issue to be raised. There is no guarantee that the more than K1 billion that is put into the pockets of the people will be put to good use.

COMMENT: The letter to the editor above is correct in pointing out that payment of school fees will bring increased enrolments that require a massive refurbishment of educational infrastructure in every school.

Dame Carol made the very same point in the recent session of parliament.

The editorial above has a basic point but is totally unrealistic. Consider the basic wage in this country. Many parents can not make the money last the 2 weeks. Money lenders are making fortunes in the settlements.

The editor writes of squandering money rather than paying school fees. For every family squandering money, there would surely be five families starving.

Then the editor writes that the government should commission a study to find out why parents can not pay school fees. That would be great.

The first benefit would be a rise in the basic wage. A family on K120 a fortnight has K8 a day for food. There will be no money for children’s school lunch.