School fees for over 3,600 secondary and tertiary students have been paid under a World Bank program of financial assistance.

The tuition payments for secondary and tertiary students throughout Tonga, are made in association with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Education and Training Tonga. SET pays TOP$250 per student each term, which is a total of TOP$1000 per student a year.

The Skills and Employment for Tongans (SET) Project has now paid for the second school term tuition fees of secondary students. As of today, 3,366 secondary students and 318 TVET students school fees, have been paid through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Receiving assistance are 992 families and 1,733 students in Tongatapu; 460 families and 761 students in Vava’u; 270 families and 429 students in Ha’apai; 192 families and 324 students in ‘Eua; and 83 families and 119 students from the Niuas.

The payment of tuition fees for TVET students under the SET Project was conducted by the Ministry of Education and Training (MET).

In the first semester of 2023, there were 378 students from TVET institutions, including 161 students from outer islands. An additional $300 per month, was given to students who migrated from outer islands and are living in Tongatapu and Hango ‘Eua, as allowance (190 females and 128 males.

The total number of students from tertiary schools are, 81 from ‘Ahopanilolo, 61 from Tonga Institute of Science and Technology, 18 from Monfort Technical Institute, 15 from St. Joseph’s Business School, 14 from TTI branch at Pouono, Vava’u, 5 from Tonga Maritime Polytechnic Institute, 13 from Tupou Tertiary Institute, 30 from Tonga Institute of Higher Education, 2 from VOU Fashion, and 17 from Tupou College.

SET Project Manager Lilieta Takau stated that this is the fourth year of the SET Project.

“SET Project have helped up to 15% of families through out Tonga. The project will end in 2024, so there will be limits to any new students added into the project this year. It is important for the families to use the assistance wisely and build a strong foundation for the children’s future.”

There is hope that the collaboration between World Bank and Skills and Employment for Tongans SET Project will continue on, to provide better outcomes from the assistance for families and students here in Tonga.