Schools in Madang Province are having severe delays in receiving vital government funds, which affects their capacity to give children with essential supplies. Kusbau Primary School's deputy principal, Mrs Biel Towili, discussed the difficulties her school is facing in an interview with PNG HAUSBUNG today. She stated concerns around the delays in receiving the components and essential supplies that were bought using the Government Tuition Fee Subsidy (GTFS) which was supposed to cater for necessary resources for students' education. In 2022, the Government has agreed to cover tuition fees, relieving parents of financial burdens, while also implementing guidelines for project fees and other associated costs, ensuring access to education for all children without discrimination based on fee payment status. However, the components and materials that were purchased using the subsidiary funds have not yet arrived, putting schools in a dire situation even with the subsidies deposited. "The funds have been deposited, but the components with the supplies or materials were not supplied since the beginning, and now certainly it's ending.” "We are using that money deposited to purchase those things to assist the students, but not fully as is expected." The impact of these delays is extensive, with schools struggling to meet the needs of their students. Mrs. Towili gave Kusbau Primary School as an example, where vital classroom tasks including assessments and activities are hampered by a shortage of A4 papers. "We haven't received those cartons of A4 papers, and we are working on what we can get from that GTFS money that has been deposited.” "But we are not fully helping the students with what we have received because papers are needed for assessments, activities, and there's a lot of things to do with the A4 papers." The situation is exacerbated by the fact that teachers are often left to make do with limited resources, going above and beyond to support their students despite the challenges. Mrs. Towili emphasized the dedication of teachers but stressed the need for immediate action from the government to address the funding delays. "As someone who is an administrator, I am a Deputy Principal that is currently on the grounds witnessing these issues, I would say here that the government should look into that," Mrs. Towili urged. "Before the term starts, I would suggest that the government should deliver all the resources during the term holidays before the second term." “To guarantee that every child has access to the tools they require to succeed in their education, immediate action is required as Kusbau Primary School continues to struggle with the effects of these delays.”