THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHY ARE the poor of our society constantly being asked to bear the cost of inefficient Ministry directives?
This is very evident in the recent developments attending the granting of the benefits under the Programme for Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) in our secondary educational institutions. Long frustrated by counter-claims permeating the offices of the Ministry of Social Security and individual schools, parents are now caught in a tailspin. Not only are they beset by the worries of offsetting the cost of upcoming school charges, but also those responsible for the education of these students apparently will now have to foot the expenses for a retroactive bill.
Reports on recent decisions, taken by the Ministry of Education, suggests that many students whose fees were considered covered by PATH for the 2003-2004 academic year will have the privilege revoked. This unfortunate outcome is imminent despite numerous vacillation by those implementing the programme. Equivocation left schools awaiting a list from the Ministry of Education with the names of beneficiaries. As a result an official record was not made and submitted to the Ministry by the schools, before the expedient cut-off period of 2003.
Teething pains are normal in many state welfare programmes, however when an initiative such as the PATHE programme ends up burdening the poor, an outcry must be made.
I am, etc.,
CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY
chrisnik96@yahoo.com
