School fees safe - Golding reassures free tuition commitment

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner : Thursday | September 6, 2007

Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Bruce Golding, has sought to assure the nation that his administration will make good on its promise to abolish tuition fees at the secondary level.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr. Golding urged principals of all government high schools to allow the admission of students for whom tuition fees for the new academic year have not yet been paid.

But this has been received with mixed reactions from the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA).

Prior to the JLP victory at the polls on Monday, Mr. Golding had promised that if his party were to form the next government he would abolish tuition fees at the secondary level, starting this academic year.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr. Golding assured the principals that the Ministry of Education would remit to the schools funds to cover the fees that ordinarily would have been required in respect of those students.

Refund

He added that the new government would also be refunding those who have already paid their tuition fees.

"Appropriate arrangements will also be worked out between the Ministry of Education and the schools to refund the fees that have already been paid in respect of some students," the statement said.

It added that: "These arrangements will be contingent on the submission of accounts by each school of the amounts that have been paid and the names of the students, supported by the relevant bank vouchers."

Consult with the principals

Reacting to this yesterday, Ena Barclay, president of the JTA, said she would have to consult with the principals on the matter first, but said the association was concerned about the adequacy of theresources that the principals would have to work with.

"We want the children to be in schools but at the same time we want to know that the principals have the necessary resources to work with, because we don't want the children there and we don't have the type of learning environment that will really facilitate learning," she pointed out.

But Alphansus Davis, president of the Association of Principals and Vice-principals, said schools' budget should not be adversely affected if students are admitted without their tuition being paid.

"It should not affect schools too badly because all schools got some money from the ministry and some parents would have paid some fees already," he said. "So we can use that money to carry on until the government gives us the remainder of the fees that should have been paid by them (the students)."

Marcia, a parent who has a child in sixth form cautiously welcomed the move and said this would help her save $7,500.

"I am not overly excited yet but if it works, that would be good," she said. "Anything that allows you a break is welcome but is just to see how it will work."

But another parent who did not want to be named told The Gleaner that the abolition would not have much impact on her.

"For some people it will have a great impact but for me I don't see it, maybe if it was a few years ago because I don't find the school fees really that burdensome," she said. "I am not sure if some of the miscellaneous expenses will be taken care of such as health funds, PTA (Parent Teachers' Association) dues and security funds."

She said that her son's tuition fee was just $3,900.

"That is for a working parent. For one who is unemployed or working at the bottom of the scale it would be probably something to jump for," she said.

Mr. Golding said he would be issuing the appropriate instructions to the ministries of Finance and Education immediately upon assuming office as Prime Minister.