THE government has allocated K649 million to support its major policy initiative of free education, The National reports.
And tertiary students will be happy with the government’s decision to re-introduce Natschol – national scholarship – which will provide 10,000 students with living allowances.
Treasury and Finance Minister Don Polye, in presenting the 2012 budget yesterday, announced the funding of K649 million, including the K300 million set aside in the 2011 supplementary budget and K47 million in education infrastructure.
He said it would fund tuition-free education up to Grade 10 and a 75% subsidy for Grades 11 and 12.
“This funding also triggers additional support of K27 million from the Australian aid programme.
“Education is the key to our future and for participation by all Papua New Guineans in the modern economy,” he said.
But simply reducing fees is not enough to invest in our children’s future.
The minister said the 2012 budget would pay for 6,700 new teachers to work in the provinces, and a K13 million increase in the basic education function grant to provinces that would support K24.5 million for teachers colleges, technical and vocational schools.
Polye said it also provided a substantial increase in recurrent funding to universities of nearly K10 million.
In addition, the development budget would support the state-owned universities.
In particular the government would assist the:
“In total, the government allocates a minimum of K1,954 million or 18.5% of the total recurrent and development budgets to education in 2012,” he said.
He said taking into account the K305 million for education in the supplementary budget, the government had lifted education expenditure by a very substantial 30% in comparison to the 2011 budget
And tertiary students will be happy with the government’s decision to re-introduce Natschol – national scholarship – which will provide 10,000 students with living allowances.
Treasury and Finance Minister Don Polye, in presenting the 2012 budget yesterday, announced the funding of K649 million, including the K300 million set aside in the 2011 supplementary budget and K47 million in education infrastructure.
He said it would fund tuition-free education up to Grade 10 and a 75% subsidy for Grades 11 and 12.
“This funding also triggers additional support of K27 million from the Australian aid programme.
“Education is the key to our future and for participation by all Papua New Guineans in the modern economy,” he said.
But simply reducing fees is not enough to invest in our children’s future.
The minister said the 2012 budget would pay for 6,700 new teachers to work in the provinces, and a K13 million increase in the basic education function grant to provinces that would support K24.5 million for teachers colleges, technical and vocational schools.
Polye said it also provided a substantial increase in recurrent funding to universities of nearly K10 million.
In addition, the development budget would support the state-owned universities.
In particular the government would assist the:
- University of PNG (K43.5 million – including the law school building and a science building);
- University of Technology (K8 million – including a Petroleum and Petrochemical engineering school);
- University of Natural Science and Resources (K18 million – including a library and staff housing); and
- University of Goroka (K12 million counterpart funding for a Chinese loan of K30 million for a dormitory extension and trade skills scholarships worth K20 million).
“In total, the government allocates a minimum of K1,954 million or 18.5% of the total recurrent and development budgets to education in 2012,” he said.
He said taking into account the K305 million for education in the supplementary budget, the government had lifted education expenditure by a very substantial 30% in comparison to the 2011 budget
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