No child must be turned away because of fees - PM
Observer Reporter
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
PRIME Minister P J Patterson has reiterated government's policy that no child is to be denied access to school because he/she is not able to meet the required charges through cost-sharing.
At the same time, government said that the Ministry of Education was still accepting applications for assistance to pay the cost of school fees in secondary schools.
Under the cost-sharing scheme, students are expected to pay for 10 to 20 per cent of their tuition fees, with government assuming the larger portion of the fees.
"There is no closure of application for cost-sharing payments to be made by government and therefore forms are to be made available in schools for cases of needy parents," Colin Campbell, information minister, told reporters yesterday following the weekly Cabinet meeting.
According to Campbell, some schools had issued the application forms for assistance from as early as July, but he stressed yesterday that the Ministry of Education' s regional offices would distribute additional forms effective today.
Campbell said that the prime minister yesterday, commended the political and administrative directorate of the Ministry of Education for the smooth start to the new school year. And he emphasised that the relevant process must be triggered in cases where the need for assistance is established and the assistance made wherever it is justified.
Patterson also asked parents to co-operate with school staff, who, in turn, are to ensure there is no humiliation in the application process.
The government listed the following telephone hotlines for persons wishing to enquire about assistance with school fees at the secondary education level:
Region 1 -922-1825
Region 2 -993-5912
Region 3 -975-2717
Region 4 -684-9942
Region 5 -625-2219
Region 6 -983-6600