Parents of children attending public schools are likely to access the $10,000 grant that was assured by Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, in the 2014 national budget, by mid-September.
This disclosure was made yesterday by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who spoke at a number of consultations in Region Two.
The Minister, who was accompanied by a number of top officials from Central Ministry and regional education officials, also saw the need to clarify the misconception that one $10,000 grant will be awarded per household.
Manickchand explained that a grant of $10,000 will be awarded per child in a household even if there are 10 children in that household.
“It is not one $10,000 per child, so a mother with 10 children can be sure that she will be receiving $100,000 for her children,” the Minister told the gathering who attended the consultations.
The Minister however, noted that while cash will be the primary mode of paying out the grant, persons will also be allowed their payment in vouchers if they so desire.
Nevertheless, the consultations saw a unanimous call for the payment to be made in cash.
Although some parents were optimistic that they would be able to access the endowment ahead of the start of the school term, the Minister noted that a decision was taken to delay the payment since a number of children would have been disenfranchised.
According to the Minister, as many as 10,000 children are expected to start school in September, and based on the law, until they start school at the beginning of the term, they will not be counted as children attending school.
Consultations were yesterday held across the Essequibo Coast with the education team targeting 45 schools over the course of the day at the following locations: Anna Regina Secondary, Charity Primary, 8th of May Secondary, Sparta Primary, Taymouth Manor Primary, Abram Zuil Secondary, Suddie Primary, Huis’t Dieren Primary and Aurora Primary.
Residents turned out in their numbers at each session to hear the Minister speak on a number of issues including the importance of parental support in the schooling process.
The Minister just last week was involved in a similar consultation at the Golden Grove Primary school on the East Coast of Demerara, which also saw a grand turnout.
TAKING ADVANTAGE
But the Minister during her deliberations yesterday condemned forthcoming allegations that some merchants have been taking advantage of parents who seek to utilise the Ministry-allocated uniform vouchers at their establishments.
Reports out of Region Two suggest that a small number of merchants have been upping the prices of their products during the period that uniform vouchers are issued.
The action was yesterday described as “unscrupulous” by the Minister, who warned that the Ministry will deal “condignly” with such businesses.
In fact, she noted, that the Ministry is prepared to sever ties with any and all businesses found to be engaged in the practice of fleecing parents shopping with the aid of the vouchers.
Developmental Growth
The consultations also saw the Minister speaking about the economic growth of the country which she pointed out has been consistent over eight consecutive years.
This, according to her, has allowed for significant development in education which has been getting immense financial attention from Government.
And this is evident the Minister told the gathering by the allocation of the largest chunk of the $220 Billion national budget this year. The education sector was this year allocated $32.3 Billion which has allowed for equity in education on a national scale.
The Minister recalled that in the past the country’s top performers were mainly from the capital city, but now that trend has changed.
The Minister observed that in recent years it was students from Essequibo who were not only the top national performers but top regional performers at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.
GENUINE SUPPORT
Although the Education Minister has in recent days been condemned in some factions regarding her blistering remarks during the pre-celebration of the United States Independence Day at the US Ambassador’s resident’s last week, the Minister certainly got a great deal of support in Region Two.
The Minister at the pre-celebration lashed at the Ambassador for meddling in the affairs of the country even insisting that “the Ambassador’s behaviour is unacceptable.” The Minister was loudly booed and heckled during her speech.
Residents attending the consultations were however very vocal in their support and there were bouts of applause when the matter was discussed yesterday. Some residents were even keen on highlighting that they were proud of the Minister’s stance.
Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/07/09/parents-to-get-10000-grant-in-cash-minister-manickchand-informs/