Tweet
Parents storm schools for fee refund
Sanjae Sterling, Staff Reporter
Parents have been streaming into some schools demanding the refund of fees following the recent victory of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
The party had promised free education to students if they won the general election which was held on Monday.
At the Vauxhall High School compound, two parents told THE STAR they had heard earlier in the morning that they could now collect money at the school. As one of the parents explained that she would still be paying the money regardless of the promise of free tuition, another said she was turned down when she went to collect her refund.
"Nutten nuh guh suh, cause free education cyaa be inna Jamaica; mi a guh pay it. Downtown this morning mi hear di people dem seh dem a guh bank fi get back dem money, some a dem did done guh bank and di bank turn dem back. One whole heap a crowd did deh yah this morning but dem gone," she said.
Confused and stressed
At this point, the other parent added that she was confused and stressed. The woman, a beneficiary of the cost-sharing programme at the school, lamented that she was just turned back when she went to collect the money she had paid.
"Dem seh mi naw get it back. One a di teacher dem seh wi naw get it back. Yuh nuh si a trick Mr. Bruce trick wi. Mi deh pon di cost-sharing ting and pay half, but dem seh mi naw get it back," she said.
Speaking to THE STAR, Beverly Richards, a senior teacher at the school, explained that the parents who had come for refunds were mainly 'aggressive' and impatient.
"The parents need to think because I would not say that the man won on Monday and expect to get back my money on Wednesday. The parents must be patient," she said.
At Camperdown High School, the principal was said to be occupied. But, a parent on the compound said that she had not paid any fees as she was a bit confused about the payment process.
"I came to find out if we should pay school fees.
Shi (referring to the principal's secretary) just tell mi a while a guh seh shi don't know. We don't want when them come in Monday morning, dem turn dem out. I want to hear it straight from the horse's mouth," she said.
Reports by at least one parent, that the St. Andrew High School was refunding payments to parents were proven to be a rumour. Principal of the school, Sharon Reid, said that all operations at the school were not affected by the JLP's promise,
Regular procedure
"For this time of the year we would be collecting vouchers and so on, and the pattern has not changed. We only operate on the written instructions of the Ministry of Education. We have had parents asking about the payment of the tuition fees. Until we receive written instructions, the regular procedure should be followed," she said.
In a release issued yesterday, Bruce Golding said that the principals of all government high schools should allow the admission of students for whom tuition fees for the new academic year have not been paid.
To alleviate the concerns of parents, he said appropriate arrangements will be worked out between the Ministry of Education and the schools to refund the fees that have already been paid.
Sanjae Sterling, Staff Reporter
Parents have been streaming into some schools demanding the refund of fees following the recent victory of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
The party had promised free education to students if they won the general election which was held on Monday.
At the Vauxhall High School compound, two parents told THE STAR they had heard earlier in the morning that they could now collect money at the school. As one of the parents explained that she would still be paying the money regardless of the promise of free tuition, another said she was turned down when she went to collect her refund.
"Nutten nuh guh suh, cause free education cyaa be inna Jamaica; mi a guh pay it. Downtown this morning mi hear di people dem seh dem a guh bank fi get back dem money, some a dem did done guh bank and di bank turn dem back. One whole heap a crowd did deh yah this morning but dem gone," she said.
Confused and stressed
At this point, the other parent added that she was confused and stressed. The woman, a beneficiary of the cost-sharing programme at the school, lamented that she was just turned back when she went to collect the money she had paid.
"Dem seh mi naw get it back. One a di teacher dem seh wi naw get it back. Yuh nuh si a trick Mr. Bruce trick wi. Mi deh pon di cost-sharing ting and pay half, but dem seh mi naw get it back," she said.
Speaking to THE STAR, Beverly Richards, a senior teacher at the school, explained that the parents who had come for refunds were mainly 'aggressive' and impatient.
"The parents need to think because I would not say that the man won on Monday and expect to get back my money on Wednesday. The parents must be patient," she said.
At Camperdown High School, the principal was said to be occupied. But, a parent on the compound said that she had not paid any fees as she was a bit confused about the payment process.
"I came to find out if we should pay school fees.
Shi (referring to the principal's secretary) just tell mi a while a guh seh shi don't know. We don't want when them come in Monday morning, dem turn dem out. I want to hear it straight from the horse's mouth," she said.
Reports by at least one parent, that the St. Andrew High School was refunding payments to parents were proven to be a rumour. Principal of the school, Sharon Reid, said that all operations at the school were not affected by the JLP's promise,
Regular procedure
"For this time of the year we would be collecting vouchers and so on, and the pattern has not changed. We only operate on the written instructions of the Ministry of Education. We have had parents asking about the payment of the tuition fees. Until we receive written instructions, the regular procedure should be followed," she said.
In a release issued yesterday, Bruce Golding said that the principals of all government high schools should allow the admission of students for whom tuition fees for the new academic year have not been paid.
To alleviate the concerns of parents, he said appropriate arrangements will be worked out between the Ministry of Education and the schools to refund the fees that have already been paid.
Comment