Lae community college outlines challenges
Lae Community College wants the Morobe Provincial Government to take ownership of the centre.
Centre supervisor Nicky Raka made this call following the school’s need to have proper facilities for its more than 1000 students.
Mr Raka said the center is a registered study center providing education to school leavers exiting from grades 8, 10 and 12 for further studies through the faculty of distance education (FODE).
He said the school was established in 1985 under the late Utula Samana’s leadership and received full financial support.
“However, this school is no longer getting funding from the provincial administration and the school administration managed its affairs purely on students’ school fees,” he said.
Mr Raka said the center enrolls students from grade 9 to 12 and have 18 teachers.
He said the school really needs proper learning facilities to impart similar education service to students like most other high and secondary schools in the province.
“Morobe provincial administration must come and rescue us or show practically some recognition of services we provide to students with developments of new learning facilities,” he said.
He said the center relies on students’ fees to run its daily school operations; students learning materials of text books; and staff salaries.
He said the centre charges K1060 per students which is a total injustice to children’s right to education.
Mr Raka is urging the Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra to consider tuition fee free monies for the registered study center is given directly to the centre and not to FODE head office.
“We can subsidise school fees for our students if FODE TFF component of K160 is sent directly to registered study center with some assistance from MPG,” Mr Raka said.
He said the Teaching Services Commission should consider including registered study center teachers on payroll and create teaching positions for them as they are doing the same job as teachers in the other government schools.
- PNGUoT embracing online learning - July 14, 2020
- Parents meet to address school fights in Lae - September 18, 2018
- High school in Morobe operating on school fees - August 21, 2018
