Schools warned against increasing auxiliary fees

News

Thursday, August 29, 2013

THE Ministry of Education has warned school administrators against increasing auxiliary fees for the new academic year, which begins next week.The ministry, in a release, said school administrators must abide by instructions issued in June that no changes should be made to schools’ internal tuition grant and auxiliary fee structure for the 2013-2014 academic year. Schools, it said, will continue to receive an allocation of $11,500.00 per student for tuition grant.The ministry, which said only two high schools had requested and were granted permission to increase their auxiliary fee above the 2012/2013 level, said all schools were advised that:* Charges for goods such as physical education gear, epaulets, badges, lab coats etc and services should not be included on the vouchers for auxiliary fees;* Parents should be allowed the option of obtaining these goods from other sources that are competitive;* Auxiliary fees should not be optional but should form part of that portion of the school fee to be borne by parents. Wards of the state and students on PATH are exempted; and* School administrators should devise reasonable payment plans to facilitate and accommodate parents in meeting their auxiliary fee payment obligations.The ministry said, too, that students on the PATH programme, wards of the state — whether in foster care or living in a child care institution or attending a public secondary school — should be granted waivers on auxiliary fees.

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Schools warned against increasing auxiliary fees

Education minister urges parents to pay auxiliary fees

Latest News

Thursday, August 08, 2013 | 9:10 AM

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister of Education, Ronald Thwaites is reminding parents that the auxiliary fee charged by schools is mandatory and required for the upkeep of the school.“The auxiliary fees are not optional. They are absolutely essential for everyone…(It) is each family’s or household’s direct contribution towards the cost of the school delivering education to your child,” Thwaites said.He was addressing the NCB Employees Co-operative Credit Union’s 2013 Treasure Chest Solid Goal Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) awards ceremony, held at the Hotel Four Seasons in Kingston on Thursday August 7.Thwaites pointed out that while the Government provides $11,500 for every student for tuition, pays all the salaries, and gives various grants to the schools, it costs well over $120,000 for the State and the school to offer a year’s education at the high school level, which varies depending on the school.He said that while schools did better last year than before, “we are still missing about one third of the auxiliary fees that schools expect to collect and must collect in order to meet their regular expenses.”“So, I’m really asking for people to take this even more seriously this year and we ask schools to be considerate, that if it can’t be paid all at one time, to give time to pay. This is an obligation which should be given priority in the household budget,” the education minister emphasised.He urged parents who are having difficulties paying their auxiliary fees at one time, to visit the school and set up a payment system with the Principal or the Bursar and stick to their commitment.“Parents, if you go to a school to set up a payment arrangement, and you are disregarded or you are hassled, you can tell me and tell the Ministry of Education, but parents must pay their child’s auxiliary fee at school or under the payment arrangements that they have agreed with,” Thwaites said.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Education minister urges parents to pay auxiliary fees