Right to education and responsibilities that come with it

Sep 19, 2016 | News | 0

Two high schools, Onesua Presbyterian College and Central School, on Efate have spoken out on the right to education as fundamental despite school fee issues.

While schools around the country are approaching another end of academic year, already parents are reminded of meeting school fee deadlines, and these two high schools have made it clear that students have the right to education and should never be excluded from sitting their final exams under any circumstances, not even for school fee reasons.

The Principal of Onesua Presbyterian College, Graham Kalmer, told 96 Buzz FM in an interview that the school continues to remind students about outstanding fees but they never intended to forbid students from sitting their final exams.

Mr. Kalmer said the school tackles this schools fee issue by sending students home over the weekends to get some money for their outstanding fees just so the school can continue to operate as nothing is free in this world.

The other high school which makes attempts to address outstanding fee issues is Central School in Port Vila. The Finance Controller for the School, Mr. Steven Paugh, said the school enrolls around 1,000 students.

Mr. Paugh said they allow parents to pay half the school fees at the middle of the term and complete fees by the end of the term.

Mr. Paugh said despite having this system in place, this is still a major challenge for many parents and in the case where students incur outstanding fees, they are temporarily sent home to prompt the parents to make an arrangement with the school with a fee payment plan. READ MORE

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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