By Katalina Siasau

All Government secondary schools’ students from Form 3 to Form 5 will study for free in 2025, as proposed in the new budget plan for Education, for the FY 2024-25.

The Minister for Finance, Hon. Tiofilusi Tiueti, read the draft budget plan yesterday, 12 June, in Parliament when he announced the Government plan for Education as one of the priority sectors in the 2024/25 budget.

The budget plan proposed that all Government secondary schools' students will study for free, from Form 3 to Form 5 level (Forms 1-2 Govt. are already free).

Grants to schools

Government also proposed to increase grants by 10% to non-government schools at secondary, technical and vocational levels.

The grant for secondary schools for increases from $700 to $770 pa'anga per student.

Meanwhile, technical and vocational levels increase from $1200 to $1320 pa'anga per student, including a grant of $100,000 pa’anga to Hango Agricultural College in ‘Eua.

This grant estimate at $9.7 million pa’anga, also included the free tuition of Government secondary schools.

“The Government's priority in improving education for all, also includes the safety of schools, management of school drop outs, equal opportunity for males and females, education and training opportunities. [It] is increased by $7.5 million pa'anga for the Ministry of Education and Training for the FY 2025.”