THE EDITOR, Sir:THE TOTAL budgetary allocation for education in the 2003/2004 budget was $23,674,453,000.
This figure includes both recurrent and capital (A+B) expenditure. This amount constituted nine per cent of the approved budget. This function of government was allotted the largest portion of the budget save and except debt-servicing.
The efforts of the government must be lauded because of its continuous focus on education especially when there are many other pressing areas that need attention.
Further scrutiny of the Education appropriation revealed that a mere 3.7 per cent of the education budget goes to Capital expenditure. This amounts to 874.453 million dollars.
This in my opinion is cause for grave concern. Not only that this amount is small but also with a fiscal challenge faced by the government there are fears that this proposed capital expenditure will not be met.
In fact, the records show that capital expenditure on education is on the decline since the 2001-2002 budget. And even with this decline, the actual capital expenditure on education over the period 2001-2004 financial years has been far below the voted expenditure.
History has taught us that this government has built more schools than any other administrations in the history of Jamaica. It has undertaken reform of early, primary and secondary education.
While these reforms are necessary, they are not sufficient. The quality of education delivery in schools is still a matter of great concern.If we are to be taken seriously about educational development then such cuts on the capital side of the education appropriations should not be continued.
In fact the National Youth Policy, a document developed by the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture, suggested that the number of youth be expected to increase by approximately 20,000 by 2010. Therefore current plans must take this projection in mind as far as education and training are concerned.
The government must resist the temptation of dissecting education in parts so as to award one party priority over the other. This would be a tragedy in that if there is disequilibrium in one part there may be disequilibrium in all parts. A total integrative approach must be used in formulating a national policy on education. Such a policy must clearly indicate the standards that the country should aim for in the next twenty years.
Careful thought must also be given to the political, cultural and international environment whenever this national plan on education is being developed. It should not primarily be based on budget deficits lest we miss the point and the result will be a 'stop gap' plan instead of one that will add meaningful improvement to the overall educational system.
The system of cost-sharing must remain in place at the secondary and at the tertiary level. Jamaica should not move to liberalise education at any level because there will be intrinsic market failure in education.
If education is liberalised there may be efficiency in the system through marketization but there will also be inequity in the distribution especially among the poor.
One should hope that the government would strive for equity in distribution of education and also improvement in the quality.
I am, etc.,
MICHAEL PALMER
grasv8@yahoo.com
41 Seventh St. Kingston 13
Via Go-Jamaica
