Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator
Tufton
Generation 2000 (G2K), the professional arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has taken Minister of Education and Youth Maxine Henry-Wilson to task on her recent appeal to parents urging them to bear some of the cost for educating their children.
G2K president Dr. Christopher Tufton says the Education Minister's remarks were ignorant of the fact that parents are already bearing some 60 per cent of the overall cost to educate their children.
"I believe that it is disingenuous for the call to be made by the Government through the minister that parents should take responsibility for the educating of their children," Dr. Tufton told journalists Thursday at a press briefing organised by G2K at the JLP's Belmont Road headquarters. "I believe that that call and cost-sharing is tantamount to double taxation to provide education."
Echoing the Opposition's call for the removal of cost sharing, Dr. Tufton reminded the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration that former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson had given a commitment to abolish cost-sharing by 2005.
Turning to the start of the new school year, the G2K president scoffed at Government's announcement that the 2006/2007 academic year would get off to a smooth start.
According to Dr. Tufton many high school students are unable to register for the new school year as some secondary institutions are demanding the payment of fees before students are admitted.
He said some high schools are insisting that parents pay their share, despite Govern-ment policy that no child should be barred for non-payment of fees.
Quoting from an alleged letter to a student at a high school, Dr. Tufton read: "If you should fail to pay this balance (cost-sharing) by July 21, 2006, the student will be deemed to be withdrawn from (the particular school) and not eligible for registration for September 2006."
Describing this approach as a 'strong arm tactic, pay or else!' the G2K head said many schools are forced to take this action because Government allocates inadequate funds to run these institutions.
