Gov’t Continues To Provide Nutritional Support For PATH Students
By: , May 6, 2021
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams (right), discusses a matter of importance with State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, shortly before the start of a post-Cabinet press briefing, which was hosted virtually from Jamaica House on Wednesday (May 5).The Full Story
The Government is continuing to provide nutritional support for students who are on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), even with the closure of schools due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, said that Cabinet has given approval for the advance of $752.9 million from the 2021/2022 approved estimates for this purpose.
“[This] advanced sum is to be cleared in the 2021/2022 Supplementary Estimates, for the purpose of paying cash grants to parents or guardians of students on PATH at the early-childhood, primary and secondary levels for 30 days, as a means of ensuring continued nutritional support amidst the closure of schools,” Ms. Williams said.
She was addressing a virtual post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday (May 5).
Ms. Williams informed that in the 2020/2021 period, the Ministry collaborated with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to provide cash grants directly to the parents of the PATH beneficiaries for the number of days that schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The cash grants were calculated at a daily rate of $100 for the early-childhood level and $150 for both the primary and secondary levels. The aim of the initiative is to provide nutritional support to students on the PATH in light of the adverse impact of COVID,” she said.