THE NUMBER of independent or privately owned schools that are registering with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture has increased. Statistics from the Ministry's Independent Schools Section that oversees the operations of these schools, show that since the start of the school year 42 schools have applied so far to be registered with the Ministry, compared to 34 last year.
Of the total number of schools that have applied seven are preparatory, five are high and 30 are vocational.
Mrs. Freda Jones, Registrar of the Independent Schools Section in the Ministry, states that, "there are two types of registration, Provisional and Final Registrar. In a provisional registration, once the application has been made, an officer from the Section does a preliminary report on the school, to ensure that the information supplied is correct and that the school meets the Ministry's standards. The report is then submitted to the Independent Schools Committee for a decision. After operating for a year, schools may be given Final Registration, if they satisfy the minimum requirements.
Mrs. Jones indicated that, "members of the public should ensure that independent schools are registered, as it is illegal to operate a school that is not registered with the Education Ministry. Schools too, should also ensure that the students can access their registration certificate as proof."
Only 28 new schools met the final registration criteria of the Ministry last school year. Mrs. Jones pointed out that, "the schools that did not meet the criteria for final registration were given deadlines to improve their standards, and officers from the Ministry would work with the staff in helping them to do so." Once schools meet the Ministry's requirement, a notice to this effect is published in the Jamaica Gazette and the school is given a certificate of registration which finalises the registration process.
In order to apply for registration with the Ministry, schools must submit a written application form, which should include a sketch of the school's premises, a floor plan of the building, a copy of the school's prospectus, particulars of fees charged for tuition, a copy of the teachers' contract and any other information requested from the Independent Schools Committee occasionally.
The benefits of schools being registered with the Ministry include:
Exemption from property tax, if the school owns the property on which the structure is built.
GCT exemption on educational materials.
Supervision by the Ministry through the regional office and an educational officer, training of the teachers through workshops and seminars conducted by the Ministry's Professional Development Unit.
The registration of independent schools grew out of the Education Act of 1965, which empowers the Ministry of Education to register and regulate the operation of private educational institutions. There are plans to review the act to ensure that independent schools follow the guidelines set by the Ministry regarding safety of the students, the school terms and holidays and the conduct and discipline of the students, as observed in the public school system.
