'A drop in the bucket' - Budget money not enough to eliminate overcrowding in schools
Published:Friday | May 2, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter
YVONNE CLARKE, interim managing director of the National Education Trust (NET), has indicated that the funds budgeted for the creation and maintenance of school infrastructure this year is "just a drop in the bucket" to effect the sort of changes needed in the education system.
Noting that there is currently a major challenge to find spaces for children at both the primary and secondary level, Clarke said based on the Trust's recent experience, the cost to construct a primary school to house 630 students would amount to some $240 million.
She said the cost for a secondary school for 1,200 students would run the Government some $780 million.
Clarke said based on the 2012 National Education Strategic Plan, the country would need some 151 new schools at the primary and secondary levels to relieve overcrowding and eliminate the shift system in schools.
"We have not made a significant dent in these needs since then," she stated.
budget presentation
In his Budget presentation for the 2014/2015 financial year, Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips said $727 million was being allocated "to support the provision of additional classroom places in infant, primary and secondary schools across the island", with $119.3 million provided to improve sanitation in schools.
But Clarke noted: "The amount is still not adequate to meet the needs of the sector ... . This, as Jamaicans would say, is just a drop in the bucket."
However, she told the gathering at the Digicel Foundation's Education Forum on Wednesday at The Knutsford Court Hotel that the Trust was not daunted and would be relying on private sector partners to assist with the shortfall.
Clarke admitted that the NET, which was established in 2010 to help facilitate long-term capital investment and infrastructure development in the education sector, has been slow off the ground in engaging relevant partners.
"Unfortunately, it has had a bit of a slow beginning, but this is something we are moving to address with speed and the NET will become a household name as far as the education sector in Jamaica is concerned."
She said going forward, the Trust would be looking to establish a collaborative framework that will see various foundations pooling their resources to ensure the various needs across the sector are addressed.