Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:10 AM
Aug 05, 2014 News
– Attendance rate likely to be scrutinised
By Sharmain Grainger
Although all public school children will be eligible for a cash grant of $10,000 in the new school year simply by being listed on the register of their respective schools, this may very well not be the case next year.
At least this is according to Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who on Sunday told residents of Kamarang, Region Seven, that the criteria for receiving the grant could be subjected to some changes. The Minister was at the time addressing the residents at a Hinterland Education Improvement Programme (HEIP) consultation at the Kamarang Primary School.
According to the Minister, come next year the possibility exists that the Government will request that in addition to being listed on the register, that students have at least, an 85 per cent attendance rate.
The Minister informed that parents or guardians will be able to uplift the cash grant, intended to be used to support the educational needs of students, between September and December of this year. However, she is optimistic that the grant will be payable across the country by mid October.
The Minister went on to explain to those in attendance on Sunday that the Ministry had not made preparations for the payments ahead of the start of the school year since those students who are expected to start school in September would not have benefited from the grant this year.
Based on the law governing the education sector a child cannot be recognised as a legitimate student unless he or she is listed on the register. And according to the Minister, a great number of students are expected to commence school at the start of the new school year in September.
Moreover, following the start of the school year the Ministry will be tasked with collecting all registers from about 1,000 schools countrywide from which the students’ names will be drawn, verified and placed into a database.
Those living in areas that have easy access to Banks, Post Offices, or Western Union outlets will be able to encash a voucher from the Education Ministry while other provisions will be made for those in remote areas to receive the financial aid.
This year will mark the first time that the Government, through the Education Ministry, will be affording students of public schools the monetary support.
The assurance of the endowment was first announced by Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during his presentation of the $220 billion 2014 National Budget earlier this year. And according to Minister Manickchand, Government is able to afford citizens this monetary assistance since the country has recorded notable economic growth over the past eight years. This, according to her, has allowed Government to be in a better place to lend further support to families to help educate their children even as she reiterated that “the $10,000 grant will not be afforded per household but rather per child in each household. If you have four children attending public school then you are guaranteed $40, 000,” the Minister assured the residents.
The grant will be made available for children at the nursery, primary and secondary levels of public schools.
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