School principals are complaining about what they say are mounting pressure on their institutions due to the way in which the PATH programme is structured. They have highlighted that it leaves schools with gaping holes in their budget, forcing them to seek funding elsewhere.
Under the PATH programme beneficiaries do not pay school auxiliary fees. However, the schools which would have prepared their budgets based on their expected numbers are not reimbursed by the government for the PATH beneficiaries. This causes serious problems for several schools, where for example, the majority of students are PATH beneficiaries.
Political grandstanding
Linvern Wright, principal of Rusea's High, blames political grandstanding for the problem, and wants the situation fixed. He said
“So you send in a projected budget given the money you are going to charge. When they ask you not to charge people for PATH and these people don’t pay and nobody comes in with that money, you are short with many things, for materials... all of those things,” said Mr. Wright.
Mr. Wright was speaking on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines on Thursday.
Meanwhile Linton Weir, principal of Old Harbour High School, explained that the shortfall compromises the delivery of quality education.
“There are some schools where you have 70 per cent of the students on PATH. We must also be mindful too, that in that same school type, only 60 per cent of the children pay the auxiliary fee. So there goes the problem – doubling there as well. And at the same time you are asked to provide quality education for the students,” said Mr. Weir. He was speaking on RJR’s Beyond The Headlines on Thursday.
Mr Weir is also taking issue with the policy in relation to the amount each school can charge for auxiliary fees. With the abolition of tuition fees at the secondary level, schools are assessed on how much they are allowed to charge based on certain factors. Among them are the size of the school and the number of projects being planned. Mr Wright sees this as inherently unfair. He argued that it must be changed.
“A budget to me is going to be crafted based on how much money you have…There is an inherent prejudice in the system in what people can charge, depending on which schools you are, the GSAT selection, the money you can charge, all of those things are a part of that prejudice that we must admit (to),” said Mr. Weir.
Mixed views on standardising the auxiliary fees
In the meantime, school principals have expressed mixed views to the idea of standardising the auxiliary fees paid by students. It is believed by some that one fixed fee should be set across the board, because the current method of calculation is arbitrary and leaves some schools at a disadvantage. Others, however, argue that it should vary depending on the unique qualities of the school and the programmes they are undertaking.
Albert Corcho, principal of Calabar and Penwood High Schools, believes each institution should be assessed and a decision made based on various factors.
“The government needs to look at the programme a school is offering, the programme that a school can offer, and then based on the feasibility, you look at what the operation costs are.
“The J$11,500 has been standardised and schools are still complaining. There are some small schools where the J$11,500 can help them, but when you have a school of close to 2,000 students, then you realise that the J$11500 is a drop in the bucket,” said Mr. Corcho.
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