PM says Gov’t tried to Preserve Education Budget

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding, has noted that his Government sought to, as best as possible, preserve budgetary allocations to Education, while admitting that there have been reductions in some areas, most significantly the allocation to the University of the West Indies (UWI).
“We know that this will pose difficulties for both the students and the University. I have had discussions with the Vice-Chancellor to determine how these difficulties can be worked through. The Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness, is examining options as to how to ensure that students who might be particularly affected are able to continue their courses without interruption,” Mr. Golding said.
The Prime Minister who was contributing to the 2010/11 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, recently, stated that funding of tertiary education is part of a debate that needs to be engaged. He also added that university education must be financed, especially for students who are not in a position to meet the cost.
“How it is to be financed, whether from budgetary allocations, student loans, a special class of bonds, education-investment savings plans or a combination of all or some of these is what the discussion needs to be about,” Mr. Golding said.
He also stated that the needs of early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education, all compete for the same tax dollar, but “there are simply not enough tax dollars to adequately finance all four.”
He said that Mr. Holness will seek to advance that discussion when he speaks in the sectoral debate.