By ASHTOSH SINGH
With the school holidays over restarting for another term, the Ministry of Education is reminding schools around the country that no student is to be sent home for failing to pay school levies or fees.
The Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Brij Lal said that School Managements, Head teachers and Principals of schools should allow students to attend classes while arrangements are made for payment of school levies.
“I am requesting all school management, head teachers and principals to display wisdom in the handling of the issue of school levies. Students must be allowed to enter the classrooms and arrangements of the payment of school levies should be done with parents and guardians. Please take heed of the instructions of the Head of Government that it is not right to stop children from classes,” Dr Lal said.
“Let us not send a negative message to the students at the very beginning of the last and the most important term of the school. Avoid encouraging truancy and delinquencies and keep the students where they belong,” added Dr. Lal
“Schools can draw up ‘Agreement Letters’ whereby levies are paid in installments and I am also pleading with parents and guardians to please honour the agreements you’ve signed with the school. Payments of $10 or $20 per week should enable parents to complete their payments within three to four weeks, added Dr. Lal.
Meanwhile, School Managements and heads of schools have also been advised by the Ministry on the collection of levies.