MP urges timely release of grant
GOVERNMENT must ensure schools receive their education grants on time, Opposition Whip Lynda Tabuya told Parliament recently during debate on the Performance Audit Report on the Effectiveness of Institutional Framework for Preventing Corruption.
Ms Tabuya commended the Education Ministry for having “hardly any cases or reported cases where teachers or administrators have abused this fund” since 2014.
“However, as I had mentioned, the biggest issue they face is the lateness of the grant received by the schools,” she said.
“I give an example, as recent as last year where a school received the grant way into the school holidays after term three, but luckily they were committee-run schools, so they had reserved funds to help the school to term three. But what about the government schools who rely solely on this grant, how do they cope during this time?
“Some issues of improvement, I think there are some sentiments from the ministry officials, I think it comes late from the Government.
“So the Government could look into that in terms of ensuring that the schools receive the grant on time or before the beginning of the term so that the school can run efficiently.”
In response, Education Minister Rosy Akbar said the payout for any school grant depended on the number of students in a school.
She said as a requirement, the school head must update the information system on the number of students in their school.
“As soon as we get the class audit, grants are released to the school. It is all about compliance, honourable Tabuya,” Ms Akbar said.