Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says no child should be excluded from school or denied access to an education if they are not able to pay school fees.
“In relation to school fees, the Government’s policy is very clear – no child should be excluded from school if they are not able to pay the fees. That is very clear from the Ministry of Education; that’s the Government’s policy. Some schools do charge fees but they have no right to deny any child access to an education,” she said.
Dr. Morris Dixon was responding to a question posed during Wednesday’s (July 15) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
She suggested that schools may use grants provided by the Ministry to offset expenses for students.
“We have given some grants for student welfare, we have given other grants to the schools, we expect them to use that for students who do not or are not able to afford it. Where schools have additional concerns, you can come to the Ministry. We have had schools that have said 90 per cent of my students are on PATH, I need a little bit more support on nutrition, and the Ministry works and tries to give that support,” the Minister said.
“We have a system where there are grants for schools but we understand the dynamic of what we are working in and that there may be other realities at play,” she said.
She further suggested that discussions be undertaken with the Ministry where additional concerns arise.
“We urge our principals to reach out to the regional teams; if you’re not getting anywhere, reach out to the central Ministry; we will support you. At the end of the day, it’s all about our children doing well, and we have to work together towards that within the resources that we do have,” the Minister added.
