BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
BEULAH Provincial Secondary School Board has questioned the government’s post covid-19 Education Policy saying many boarding schools are suffering as a result of government’s failure to honor its policy.
Principal of Beulah PSS Frank Nagu said the government needs to explain its side about the free education policy announced last year in response to covid-19.
“Last year the government announced that there will be free education for students, but the issue here is, schools’ needs funds to sustain students in term of foods among other school needs.
“We are yet to see the government subsidizing cost of foods for schools, especially boarding schools.
“I want to highlight that students’ survived on school fees to pay foods and to stop students from paying school fees does not make sense unless the government reaches out its support to subsidise cost of foods,” he said.
Nagu said most parents have relied on the government policy on free education with burden rested on school board to look for alternatives to feed the students.
He said the government needs to explain to the people especially parents on how the free education policy works and the responsibilities that requires smoothly roll out the policy.
Member of the Board, Freedom Tozaka shared similar sentiment saying that boarding schools have faced challenges due to government ignorance.
“Someone is hiding behind these policies and it is high time that these policies must be properly scrutinized for the betterment our education system.
“I feel that school boards are performing the responsibilities of authorities at the national level in an effort to offer education for all.
“It is sad that school boards are struggling alone in this matter – meaning our education system needs greater political will to see its policies implemented,” he said.
Tozaka stressed that the issue of poor results year in year out is the result of pure negligence from responsible authorities.
