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.