The Editor, Sir:

The Jamaica Labour Party leader Bruce Golding in his campaign offered to rid parents of the burden of paying school fees if his administration forms the next government.

Although he has not yet taken the oath, he will be the next Prime Minister of Jamaica. However, there seems to be some misunderstanding among parents, public school officials and the general public as it relates to the fulfilment of the promise.

Let me try to clarify this: All secondary students who are attending public schools, are not required to pay school fees.

On the other hand, parents are left with any other fees that a child/children may incur - book rental fees, physical education gears, just to name a few. What the school administrators are worried about is the fact that school-fee payments are used to in a number of ways - to cover the payment of auxiliary staff members (cooks, groundsmen, office workers, etc.).

Therefore, school administrators are worried about how are they going to pay their auxiliary workers.

If the Government satisfies its obligation, then the schools will be able to function and pay their staff. The fact that many parents are going to schools in order to get a refund as promisedis understandable.

But, there is a process in order to facilitate the refund. Parents have to produce payment slips, and in some instances, ID may be necessary for the refund. For those who make their payments to a banking facility, a refund also takes a process.

Therefore, parents should be patient and allow the schools and the Ministry of Education to iron out the few glitches that exist in order to get their refunds and a true under-standing of the school fee payments.

I am, etc.,

CHARLES BROWN

charliebrown1004@hotmail.com

Morant Bay,

St. Thomas