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An education expert has tipped government on how to revamp free education, especially the Universal Primary Education (UPE).

Government provides grants to UPE and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools, but the institutions have continued to charge additional “service fees”, which is illegal.

Mr Fagil Mandy, an education consultant and the chairman for UPE Implementation Committee, has called for a Universal Education Policy Review, which he says will take into consideration inflation, utility costs and key school resource-taking areas.

“We launched the UPE programme in 1997; however, it needs a policy review to harmonise charges, meet unavoidable expenses and any other reasonable fees charged to guide schools on how to beat inflation and rid it of smuggled utilities fees,” Mr Mandy said in an interview on Tuesday.

He added that some head teachers levy illegal charges on uniforms for games, tours, and school developments.

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