Students attending the Morehead High School and another high school in Western Province will now have their education disrupted after their school administrations were advised by the Provincial Education Board (PEB) to partially close down due to funding issues.
The Principle Advisor of Education for Western Province, Mr. Charlie Guya said he has advised the schools to suspend classes as there are no funds for the schools to continue operating this term.
“Schools have no money! I have two high schools that are now looking at suspension of classes because they have no money. They have managed to run the schools for the last 4 weeks expecting that the national department will disburse all the funds, but that has not reached the accounts.”
Most of the high schools in the Western province are boarding schools and when there is a lack of funding, that will mean no food on the table for boarding students.
Business houses have now stopped assisting schools with food on credit, thus leaving them with no choice but to close down for an indefinite period. He said they have given the go ahead for them to suspend classes for grade 9’s and let the grade 10’s remain in class.
He added that they will find ways to provide for the students and staff. At this point, school administrators will have a very difficult time in operating.
“This is the result of the government’s decision and now the schools are in red.”
Mr. Guya said this because earlier this year, schools were directed by the Education Department through a circular from the Secretary that schools would not charge any other fees to parents.
This is because funds coming in from fees like the project fee component of the schools would also help in running the school, something which most schools were ordered not to impose this year.