Thursday, November 5 2009

THE Education Ministry is prepared to assist denominational schools in paying outstanding electricity bills from next year. A senior ministry official yesterday said a decision was made to pay the electricity bills for the Denominational School Boards. The Ministry was currently finalising arrangements with the various school boards.

“We have taken a decision to provide assistance to the primary schools in terms of paying the electricity bills but are finalising arrangements with them. Things should be in place by early next year,” the official said.

The Association of Denominational Boards called on the ministry to increase grants to cover their electricity bills because some primary schools have been reeling from the high cost.

Reports indicated that the Catholic Education Board Management (CEBM) owed TTEC more than $1 million with 93 of the CEBM’s 119 schools owing sums ranging from $850 to $34,000.

The electricity service of several schools throughout the country was cut by TTEC on August 28, but reconnected a short time later. Parents of students have also complained about some Catholic schools requesting $100 a year for the electricity bills to be paid. They said this was unfair and called for the Ministry to intervene. At the start of the school term in September parents of students attending the Malabar RC Primary School received letters asking them to contribute $100 toward paying the school’s $4,200 electricity bill.

TTEC corporate communications manager Annabelle Brasnell said all schools have been reconnected and arrangements have been made for the bills to be paid. She could not give details because of customer confidentiality.