PNG schools accused of corruption in tuition fee-free scheme

10:18 am on 16 June 2015

Papua New Guinea's Education Minister says the Government has been been defrauded of $18 million US dollars of tuition funds.

Nick Kuman told Post Courier reporters in Lae that education officers were not doing their job and fraudsters were able to fudge enrolment figures far higher than the actual student populations in the schools.

The minister says one province's 2015 enrolment was inflated by 18,000 students.

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Photo: 123rf

He also said a small number of schools in Morobe Province also inflated their enrolment figures with the intent to defraud the State.

In December, the Development Policy Centre reported that the Government's 2012 Tuition Fee-Free Policy has been better organised and well-funded, but warned but there were substantial risks to transporting large sums of cash from banks to schools.

Mr Kuman did not say what action would be taken against the schools.

Meanwhile the annual Walk Against Corruption was held in Port Moresby last Sunday, raising funds for Transparency International PNG's Siaguru Endowment Fund.