KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education last evening made an agreement for final-year students at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, who were barred due to outstanding school fees, to sit their exams.

It was agreed, at a meeting led by portfolio Minister, Senator Ruel Reid at the Ministry’s National Heroes Circle Offices, that a clear pathway to allow students to do their exams should be settled by next week Monday.

The meeting was attended by ministry officals, nine members of the UWI Guild of Students, representatives of the Students’ Loan Bureau and the UWI Mona Principal’s office.

The ministry is to also set up a special task force to review the barring of financially-delinquent final-year students. The task force will also consider the appeal made by the UWI Guild of Students for more time to be granted to allow monthly paid persons and parents to settle fees by this month end.

Reid, in a Tweet subsequent to the meeting, disclosed that just about $86 million is currently owed by 618 final year UWI Mona students.  

The education minister however noted that only needy students will benefit from intervention.

He explained that through the intervention of the ministry, funds had been set aside to assist needy students who are unable to pay the fees. He emphasised however that this intervention was to help needy students and was not a means to pay the fees for all students who owed the university.

The intervention would consider setting the requirement of a three-year bond or community service similar to that of JamVat.

The Education Ministry said information on tertiary students from households on the PATH programme is to be obtained and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be invited to have a representative on the task force.

However, while President of the UWI, Mona Guild of Students Mikaela Gonzales expressed appreciation for the intervention of the government on behalf of the many students who had detailed their advocacy through the guild, she also aired concerns about bonding students.

Gonzales told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that while the body is not averse to the requirement of bonding, Government must ensure that jobs are readily available for these graduates.

“We are grateful for the prompt response as so many students are anxious. To see the Government taking on this issue as a national one brings home the point that the cost of tertiary education is something that we need to address.

“We appreciate that in helping students it is a sacrifice that they would have to make. We are okay with that. However, the point must be made that the Government needs to look at the fact that there might not be enough jobs in our country to facilitate something like that,” Guild President Mikaela Gonzales said.

She said more discussion on the matter needs to be had.