Principals meet to tackle cash crunch
published: Tuesday | January 20, 2004

By Francine Black, Staff Reporter

AS THE cash flow problem affecting the island's 80 upgraded high schools worsens, members of the Association of Principals and Vice Principals will gather in an executive meeting today to discuss strategies to deal with the situation.

Stanley Skeene, President of the Association, said the schools will be discussing the issue in order to arrive at a unified position to take to Education Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson.

The schools have been forced to meet in light of the shortfall in their budgets caused by the rejection of students under Government's Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) and cost-sharing initiatives.

According to Dr. Mary Campbell of the Operations Unit at the Ministry of Education, preliminary figures indicate that over 120,000 students have been selected so far for assistance under the Ministry's fee assistance programme for the school year 2003/2004.

This number represents wards of the state, old beneficiaries, PATH beneficiaries and new students admitted under the cost-sharing programme.

GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT

The number is, however, smaller than the government's commitment made early last year to finance the school fees of some 44,000 students who were selected for assistance under PATH, in addition to its commitment to pay half the school fees of more than 100,000 students under the cost-sharing programme.

Despite the setbacks, Mr. Skeene is optimistic about education this year. "I believe it will be a good year for education, an interesting one and we are just hoping for the best," he said.

The financial woes of the upgraded high schools

December: At a Gleaner's Editor's Forum, the association outlined the financial crisis facing its schools.

January: Schools reopened and the threat of closure was averted when the Ministry paid over school fee subsidies.

­ Schools were informed that PATH and cost-sharing monies usually paid in January would be delayed until March.

­ Schools withhold book rental funds collected on the Ministry's behalf to finance their operations until the Ministry disburses the cheques.

- In light of the delay, schools pressure parents to pay outstanding fees.