Some public schools across the island may be forced to close their canteens if the Ministry of Education fails to hand over feeding-programme subventions owed to them since January.

A release from Opposition Spokesman on Education Basil Waite on Monday said the issue was approaching crisis proportions, noting that some schools were also yet to receive January's money for students who are part of the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

"The affected schools have seen a sharp drop in attendance of the very poor students registered under PATH and many canteens are struggling to stay open due to the delay in the school-feeding grant," said Waite.

No school-fee subventions

This was confirmed Monday by Michael Stewart, principal of Porus High School in Manchester.

Stewart explained that a principals' meeting for the central region was held last Friday. Of the 20 schools present, none had received school-fee subventions or money for the PATH programme.

The principal, who is also the president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, said the funds were usually paid over at the beginning of the school term.

He noted that some students have been attending school without lunch money, forcing teachers to dig deep into their pockets to assist.

One school, Stewart said, reported giving 1,000 free lunches last month.

Distribution under way

However, chief education officer in the Ministry of Education, Jasper Lawrence, said it was not unusual for grants to be disbursed between January and March. He said commodities for the school-feeding programme were scheduled for delivery on Monday and that school administrators in the Corporate Area could have picked up their vouchers for commodities yesterday.

Meanwhile, the ministry said all vouchers for feeding grants which were submitted were processed.

Region One, the education ministry said, picked up cheques Monday. All other regions can collect cheques by Friday.

Lawrence said PATH feeding-programme grants valued at $140 million were proceeding according to plans.

petrina.francis@ gleanerjm.com