Gov’t support of education sector unwavering
Sat, 08/20/2016 - 12:00am
Minister of Education Ronald Jones insists that in spite of the difficult financial times, government was not throwing its hands in the air, but continuing to do its work.
Speaking on the third and final day of the 2016 Budgetary Proposals debate, he stated that Barbadians were unaware as to how much money was being spent every year in the island on education.
Commenting particularly on the higher education awards, which includes scholarships, exhibitions and grants to name a few, Jones noted that in 1996 these funds were allocated $5 million, a figure which grew to $21 million in 2003-2004, $37 million in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 and in 2012-2013, $35 million.
“In three years that is over $100 million in these grants to individuals. In fact, if you had to add up the years between 1991 and 2003, it would not even amount to that figure I have mentioned in those three years during those difficult times,” he said.
The minister pointed a similar picture going across the board with regards to what was allocated for Barbados Community College, the Samuel Jackman Pressed Polytechnic and the School Meals Department.
Speaking on the work being done to enhance the infrastructure of Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, he insisted that government was ensuring that it built upon the education sector.
The minister also took the time out to speak on the situation of the Student Revolving Loan Fund pointing out of that of 4,995 recorded loans, 2,742 are counted as active loans within the Student Revolving Loan Fund, and 1,766 of these were delinquent. The remaining 2,253 were denote loans, which are those persons still studying or within the grace period.
Jones broke this down further stating; “In terms of days in arrears of loans: one to 90 days, 506 loans were just under $190,000; 91 to 180 days, 177 loans- $247,000; 181 to 365 days, 233 loans-$655,000; 1-2 years, 214 loans - $1.3 million,” while noting that those loans over two plus years, 636 loans were in arrears to the tune of $25 million. (JMB)