JAMAICA Labour Party caretaker for South West St Elizabeth Floyd Green has expressed concern over the decision for Black River High School to charge students who are on the Government-administrated Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) Programme for the provision of lunches.

“On my most recent visit to the school I was bombarded by complaints from students, parents, and teachers that lunches which were last year free for PATH students are now being sold for $100. This is unacceptable and the minister of education, the Honourable Rev Ronald Thwaites, must indicate if it is a new policy of the ministry for secondary school students on the PATH programme to pay for their lunches, or whether the school’s action must be stopped,” Green said in a statement.

The JLP caretaker said the decision to charge for lunch was having a serious impact on the students and their parents.

“The mere fact that the students are registered on the PATH programme means that their parents are having difficulty affording the most basic necessities. Reports are that the school has already seen a significant reduction in the amount of PATH lunches being distributed since the imposition of the fee. What this suggests is that students are being made to go hungry due to an inability to pay. This is unconscionable!” said Green.

The JLP caretaker also highlighted other serious issues plaguing the Black River High School and called for the Ministry of Education’s urgent intervention.

“I have been getting reports that students of some subjects, such as chemistry and English, are having no classes because there are no teachers in the position. This is impacting all grade levels including the fifth form (grade 11) students. This simply cannot be tolerated at the start of a new school year. What are the students to do in this case? How are they to sit CXC exams when they are clearly missing a huge part of their curriculum because there is no teacher? The ministry is dropping the ball on Black River High,” said Green.