Do away with TFF if status quo continues says CBC
BY FRANKLIN KOLMA
THE head of the Catholic Bishops Conference (CBC) of PNG and Solomon Islands has called on the government to consider abolishing its tuition fee free (TFF) education policy.
During a news conference last Friday at the CBC headquarters in Port Moresby, CBC president Bishop Rochus Tatamai recommended that the government should do away with the current TFF policy on account of its track record of doing more harm than good.
Bishop Tatamai said that the church through its various dioceses had found there to be a paradox in TFF funds being allocated by government and the translation of these funds into tangible developmental and educational outcomes.
He said that it was becoming a norm to have TFF acquittals presented from various schools that looked spotless on paper but did not equate to anything if one was to venture onto the respective school campuses.
“We are seeing unquestionably spotless TFF acquittals but the impact of these TFF funds being paid up are not there,” Bishop Tatamai said.
He said that the abuse of TFF funding, while a seemingly old issue, was still being ignored by the Department of Education and the government at large and that all attempts by the church to partner with government to alleviate this issue were being ignored.
“If the TFF policy was properly implemented like it was in the first year back in 2012, it could successfully work.
“However, that first year was the only good year for the TFF.
“In what has otherwise now become a corrupt system that serves the greedy and corrupt,” said the regions head Bishop.
Catholic education secretary Michael Ova, who was also present, backed the sentiments of the CBC president.
He added that he was aware of many instances of TFF funds being abused by public servants and school administrators.
“The problem with the TFF policy is that while we can admit there will always be corruption and while naysayers may question whether the old system will be any better.
“The current TFF system makes it very easy for corrupt practices to thrive,” said Mr Ova.
Secretary Ova and Bishop Tatamai both agreed that the TFF policy would have been a success if the recommendations detailed in the first November 2012 TFF progress report conducted by the Education Department had been acted upon.
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