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6/26/2012 
OPPOSITION IS CONCERNED ABOUT INCREASE IN FEES AT TAMCC...  
ST. GEORGE’S GRENADA, June 25th 2012: Shadow Cabinet Minister for Education, Mrs. Delma Thomas has lent her voice to a growing chorus of public concern over the recently announced increases in the tuition fees at the T. A Marryshow Community College. According to her, of particular concern to many parents, is the impact that the increases will have on the ability of many parents to send their children to the institution, and consequently on the access to higher education by large numbers of the nation’s young people, particularly those who reside in rural areas and whose parents will not be able to afford these new fees in addition to the already high costs, including transportation, books and materials, food and other related services. Commenting on the matter, Mrs. Thomas says that these increased fees will only serve to increase the financial burden on the backs of many parents in a time of economic recession when many have no reliable source of employment and income and will result in a large number of young people being excluded from the educational opportunities and achievements which are so important to their future prospects in life. She is calling on the Grenada Government to intervene with a view towards helping the affected parents and students cope with the situation as well as forestalling the condemnation of large numbers of our people to low levels of educational attainment, limited life chances and persistent poverty. Education, she says, facilitates upward social and economic mobility for people. Therefore, to deny persons an education for whatever reason would be to condemn both them and their offspring to a life of poverty and underachievement Mrs. Thomas is also expressing concern that tertiary institutions in the country have recently been experiencing an increase in number of dropouts. Should this situation continue unabated, it can contribute to future social problems, which are linked to underachievement, lack of self fulfillment, poverty and hopelessness. Mrs. Thomas is therefore calling on the Tillman Thomas administration to find a way to assist needy parents and students in meeting the costs associated with education and training at TAMCC and other tertiary level institutions. ‘Education and training are indeed an investment in the future of our country’, she says. ‘It is the responsibility of every Government to do all within its means to secure the future, and the educating and training of our young people is surely one of the means of ensuring a brighter future for all our children and by extension all the people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique’. Commenting on recent statements by the Minister of Education who claims not to be aware of the decision to increase the tuition fees to almost $1000.00, Mrs. Thomas noted that the Education Minister should not duck from her political responsibility since major decision of the TAMCC Board must get clearance from the Minister/Government. This, she said brings again into sharp focus the heartless nature of the NDC Administration as it prepares to imposed another burden on the backs of ordinary Grenadians. The NDC Government has also removed transportation assistance, uniform assistance, the food basket programme, milk programme and other support provided to many vulnerable families throughout the nation under the NNP administration.
 

 


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OPPOSITION IS CONCERNED ABOUT INCREASE IN FEES AT TAMCC...  
This hike tuition hike is bad for students who are struggling to maintain an education just to have a chance in this society. I agree that the government has to do something too. To read my comment on the issue and a solution to the problem i proposed go to my blog site (spiceislandatheist.blogspot.com)
00By: Spice Island Atheist
7/2/2012 9:34:05 AM
The Government has a responsibility to assist in educating its citizens and I must admit it cannot do all, we all have to make our contribution but we have been doing that all along. There are a few decisions and statements of the minister of education and the Government as a whole which is confusing the very students they pledged to support and develop. The Government promised the nation that there will be one university graduate in every home. This I must say is a noble plan but how will this become reality if we are making it very difficult if not impossible for poor people children to attend TAMCC. But what is even more strange and render the promise of the Government of a university graduate in every home as idle talk: Presently, the Government is giving free school books to children of families who could afford to buy books then turn around and reduce the subvention to TAMCC so that the College has no choice but to increase their fees to remain open, however; this decision will be affecting poor people children, the same children who were finding it difficult to attend classes on a regular basis because they cannot pay the transport. Unfortunately, the assistance that was provided by the NNP to the very needy students to pay the transport were taken away by the NDC. If the Government is very serious about education, it will priorities its spending such as less traveling and whenever they must travel go with a small delegation. Eg the last earth summit in Brazil, we did not have to go with such a large delegation; it was reported that our delegation size was 18, when Trinidad and Barbados had less that 5. The money saved from traveling less could be used for education. I know that salaries for May and June have not been paid to all lecturers at TAMCC. Lord put a hand, this call for another rescue mission.
00By: Pastor Winston Garraway
7/1/2012 5:10:28 PM
Good Morning Grenada and fellow bloggers please can some one help me here as to the real title of the lady Mrs Delma Thomas is she an elected shadow minister on education or a shadow spoke person on education because as far as i am aware the opposition only had four mimisters who were elected in the last election,and it is my belief that her real title should be The opposition spokesperson on education and not minister as listed yes i do need help here fellow bloggers. Now as for the increase in school fee and her concern yes there is a point here as to how far can a government go in terms as to who pays and how much should these students and their family contribute towards their learning taking into account that there are families who may not fully have the means to pay and yes consideration should be given and again if one looks at what is happening throughout the world and in particular the education /financial restraints placed on families and it is right that government should look at a fairer way of increasing this fee with a view to thoes students/families who can afford to pay and thoes who could be assisted,yes we have come a long way with education here in grenada and our people has to understand that we as a people has to put something into the pot/contribute something financially towards our children education for we can no longer fully depend on the state to look after us as the saying goes- FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE- we should also make a contribution and that includes Education. one love
00By: gabe
6/27/2012 5:39:30 AM