Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 22, 2014 News
After weeks of trying to ascertain how a stranger could have uplifted a $10,000 Ministry of Education Cash Grant voucher
intended for his son (Reyaid Baksh) who attends the West Coast Demerara Uitvlugt Secondary School, Saleem Baksh’s concerns were on Wednesday morning finally appeased. Although he was able to receive the voucher, Baksh was however, not afforded an explanation as to how the voucher reportedly ended up in the hands of a stranger.
The Hubu, Parika, East Bank Essequibo resident, along with his wife, Nandranie Chandra, were trying to ascertain exactly what went wrong during the Ministry of Education’s Cash Grant distribution process on Monday October 20 last. Chandra was the one who claimed to have stood in line at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground for nearly two hours before being turned away allegedly, because the Cash Grant Voucher was already collected by a man who said he was the father of her son. But the name and identification number recorded by the officials facilitating the distribution did not match that of Chandra’s husband.
Moreover, the woman returned home and related the state of affairs to her husband, who in turn informed teachers at the school her son attends, of the situation.
Baksh was told that the matter would be immediately investigated and was even given assurance that they would soon be afforded their voucher. But days went by and no update was forthcoming thus, resulting in Baksh taking his concerns to Alliance for Change (AFC) Region Three Councillor, Harry Narine Deokinanan.
Deokinanan sought an audience with several senior regional officials and was also able to engage Assistant Chief Education Officer, Ms. Doodmattie Singh, He recalled that the senior education official informed him that the Ministry was aware of the situation and was looking into it. Deokinanan had in fact provided this publication with written details of his encounter with Singh.
But despite many promises which suggested that the matter was being addressed, it was only on Wednesday last when the matter was publicised in this newspaper that Baksh got the response he was ultimately looking for. The man yesterday told this publication that “the same day (Wednesday), around 9am, a teacher at the school
(Uitvlugt Secondary) call me and tell me come for the voucher, so I send my wife and she collect it right away.” He said too that Assistance Chief Education Officer, Doodmattie Singh, also claimed to be ignorant of the matter as she profusely apologised for it ever happening.
Baksh and his wife have another child attending the Stewartville Secondary School also in Region Three, and disclosed that they were able to uplift a voucher for that child incident free. However, based on reports reaching this publication it is believed that the error occurred on the part of the officials distributing the vouchers.
This publication was told that while the recipient of the voucher in question was in fact a parent of a child attending the very school, the error was particularly disturbing as the names were not similar.
Baksh is convinced that the support of the AFC Councillor was instrumental in helping his family to solve the Cash Grant dilemma.
Government, through the Ministry of Education, commenced distribution of its inaugural Cash Grant distribution initiative as part of its efforts, to ensure that more children are furnished with the means to attend school on a regular basis.
All children attending public schools at the levels of nursery, primary and secondary were eligible for a Cash Grant of $10,000 each. In order to distribute the financial aid in a secure way, the Ministry made available vouchers to parents or guardians of children which can only be encashed at money transfer outlets – Western Union/Bill Express locations across the country.
For those areas without such facilities, the Ministry provided other means for the support to be afforded.
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