The Solomon Islands Government says there will be no fees charged next year by all State-run and Church primary schools throughout the country.
The acting Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Snyder Rini, says the Government is meeting teacher salaries and the cost of all school materials, so parents will not face fees.
This is for all primary schools except private schools.
Mr Rini says the government funding, including the normal school grants, will go directly to the schools and not to pupils.
He says this should enable parents to use whatever revenue they generate on other items to improve their standard of living, especially in rural areas.
He notes that despite this assistance, however, some primary schools might still ask parents to contribute towards certain projects, but he says he hopes these requests will be minimal.
And he says schools are owned by communities, not the Government, and while the Government can help, much responsibility lies with parents.
