Education

President extends cash grant to children at private schools: President Irfaan Ali last week granted approval for the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant and School Uniform and Supplies grant programme to be extended to the parents of children attending private schools. According to a video issued by the Office of the President (OP), Ali announced that after consultation with the Ministry of Education and the cabinet, a decision was made to have all children benefit from the programme. It is estimated that some 17,000 students will benefit from the

investment, which will amount to more than $320 million. The president noted that the initiative was originally only applicable to parents of children in the public school system, but a number of parents from private schools had asked for the programme to be extended to their children. However, after the consultation, the government made the decision which adds to the $3.3 billion already distributed to the parents of the more than 175,000 students attending public schools. He noted that the consultation was done following inquiries by private school, which also wanted to benefit from the programme. The ‘Because We Care’ grant is now valued at $15,000 and the School Uniform and Supplies Grant is valued at $4,000, amounting to $19,000 per student. It is an initiative by the PPP/C administration and had been a part of its manifesto. OP informed that President Ali has issued instructions for work to commence immediately to make the payout to all eligible parents. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, told this newspaper that she is elated that the initiative has been expanded to the private school students.