The Permanent Secretary for Education has today stressed that the ministry will not tolerate any insubordination if teachers send out newsletters asking for next year's fees from parents.
Doctor Brij Lal said as civil servants, they should be giving their full support to all new initiatives undertaken by the government.
A circular will be released soon to all schools on this issue.
Doctor Brij Lal also said school managers, head teachers and principals should not be charging advance payment for 2014 school fees.
He said the ministry has been informed that some schools have sent out newsletters to parents asking for the 2014 fees.
Doctor Lal stressed that the Prime Minister of the country has clearly announced in the budget that all school fees for next year will be paid by the government and no school should be burdening the parents on this.
He said the only fees that management can collect from parents now are the outstanding levies for and before 2013.
Newsletters have been circulated to parents to make advance payments now on the 2014 school fees and refunds will be made to them when grants are paid out by the government.
He also said that any previous approval of school fees before the 2014 budget by the Permanent Secretary for Education has been revoked and should not be used on parents to make advance payments on the 2014 school fees.
The circular that will be circulated to schools will define the boundaries of the new initiative by the government.
Veiuto Primary School Parents and Teachers President, Selina Kuruleca has confirmed that they had sent out letters to parents for advance payments for 2014 as they need to purchase books for next year and get the school ready for the new school year starting in January.
Doctor Lal has already said that funds for 2014 will be released next year and no funds will be released to the schools now.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
