Funds sent to schools for PATH beneficiaries insufficient, says JASW

 

The Jamaica Association of Social Workers (JASW) says the funds being sent to schools to provide meals for PATH beneficiaries do not correspond with the number of students on the lists sent to institutions.

 

This is despite the additional $1 billion set aside in the 2023/2024 Estimates of Expenditure to support the breakfast and lunch programmes.

 

JASW President Jacqueline Bryan says the allocation per student is also not aligned to the costs for meals.

 

Ms. Bryan says there appears to be miscommunication between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Education Ministry, which has resulted in insufficient funds being sent to schools.

 

She says as the Labour and Social Security Ministry moves to overhaul PATH, a further increase in the allocation for meals should be the first priority. 

 

"The Ministry of Labour sends you a list of say a 180 students and the Ministry of Education sends you money for 85 students, and the money that they're sending to provide lunch is $280 at this point in time," she said, noting that this is only sufficient to provide lunch for three days of the week, which forces schools to request an additional contribution to ensure students can have lunch for the five school days.    

 

The money is also inadequate, she argued, considering the current cost of a patty is $300.  

 

Ms. Bryan was a guest on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines on Wednesday.

 

School administrators had called for an increase in the allocation for meals under PATH, and Education Minister Fayval Williams announced the additional funds in March.

 

The daily lunch rate increased from an average of $120 per student to between $150 to $250 for infant to secondary schools.

 

Responding to the JASW's complaint, Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. said he was not aware of the challenges being faced by schools in relation to the inadequacy of funds allocated for students on PATH. 

 

He thanked Ms. Bryan for bringing the matter to his attention, adding that he hoped they would have an opportunity to "speak in more detail" to address the issue.