CATEGORY:POLITICS
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EDITOR'S NOTE: This article represents the views, policies and vision of the New National Party (NNP) headed by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. The NNP has been in office since 1995 - for three consecutive terms. In the last general election, the NNP won 8 of the 15 seats that were contested.


Primary School Financial Assistance Programme:
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The Ministry of Education has delivered a timely and well received Primary School Financial Assistance Programme. Three thousand six hundred and forty (3640) students, representing more than two thousand two hundred and fifty four families, have received assistance under the Government’s programme. The programme is geared to assist our most needy students by providing assistance in the form of uniforms, books, transportation, and other necessities. The Government of Grenada has been solely funding the programme since 2005. In 2005 more than 3000 students were assisted at a cost of more than EC$570,000.00. This year the total assistance is to reach EC$604,600.00.

School Feeding Programme:
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The Ministry of Education has recommenced the ‘School Feeding Programme.’ The nation’s primary, selected pre-primary and secondary schools are supplied monthly with cash disbursements for the purchasing of selected food items, salaries for cooks, and equipment to maintain kitchens. The Government of Grenada, with assistance from external organizations, spends approximately 2.9 million EC dollars annually on this initiative.

On empty stomachs, children become easily distracted and have problems concentrating on their lessons. The promise of at least one nutritious meal each day attracts children to school and enhances student performance. The Ministry supports the idea “we eat what we grow” and specific emphasis is placed on providing nutritious meals for the students.

Textbook Rental Programme:
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A Student Support Services, a sub-component of the OECS Education Development Project (Grenada 2004 - 2007) funded by the Government of Grenada and the World Bank. One of the main activities under this sub-component is a Textbook Rental Programme. The objective of this programme is to make core textbooks available to needy students to ensure that they can maximize participation in the learning process. Both secondary and primary schools benefit from this programme. The school principals are responsible for managing the process respectively.