EDUCATION MINISTER ANNOUNCES GOVERNMENT’S FREE EDUCATION POLICY

By Lethisa Kolokol
Education Minister Lucas Dekena has announced today that the 2025 Marape/Rosso Government’s Free Education Policy for Schools in the country.
Minster Dekena said the Marape Rosso Government has education as one of its top priorities as such has introduced a policy that highlights the government’s desire to share collective resources with every citizen.
He highlighted several specifications of the Policy including the Government Free Education Policy (GFE) Components.
He says the Governmentβs Free Education Policy for 2025 will cover two components; 80% to cater for School Operational and Functional Grant and 20% will be used for commodity which supports, Science, Mathematics and Basic School Materials.
The commodity component is an intervention of the Department of Education with the support from local SMEs and business to ensure quality and equity towards the education system in the country.
He adds that this year’s Government Free Education Policy will also include government support of project fees to government schools with an allocated K160 million paid directly into school accounts to ease school fee burden on parents and guardians.
Dekena says schools may collect parental contribution but only for specific school project, however it is optional and not compulsory.
Meanwhile the Minster further clarified that Church Agency fees are to be paid by each student attending a church agency school as per the Education Act, 1983.