The Ministry of Education is reminding schools around the country that no student is to be sent home for failing to pay school levies or fees.
The Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Brij Lal said that School Managements, Head teachers and Principals of schools should allow students to attend classes while arrangements are made for payment of school levies.
“I am requesting all school management, head teachers and principals to display wisdom in the handling of the issue of school levies. Students must be allowed to enter the classrooms and arrangements of the payment of school levies should be done with parents and guardians. Please take heed of the instructions of the Head of Government that it is not right to stop children from classes,” Dr Lal said.
“Let us not send a negative message to the students at the very beginning of the last and the most important term of the school. Avoid encouraging truancy and delinquencies and keep the students where they belong,” added Dr. Lal
“The Ministry of Education is proud of the initiatives to make education accessible and affordable for all. I urge all parents and guardians to make every effort in paying the school levy due to the school,” said Dr. Lal.
School Managements and heads of schools have also been advised by the Ministry on the collection of levies.
“Schools can draw up ‘Agreement Letters’ whereby levies are paid in installments and I am also pleading with parents and guardians to please honour the agreements you’ve signed with the school. Payments of $10 or $20 per week should enable parents to complete their payments within three to four weeks, added Dr. Lal.
“We as the school management, parents, guardians, the Ministry of Education and the community at large should be working together in making Fiji a knowledgeable society. Fiji has also committed itself to providing Education for All by 2015 and these are Goals that should be driving us forward. School heads and managements; please display wisdom and sensible decision making in your daily dealings with students, parents and your stakeholders,” concluded the Permanent Secretary for Education.
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