Money coming for private school teachers
MINISTER of Education, Youth and Information Karl Samuda says the Government is moving to safeguard the welfare of private school teachers who have been affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak across the island.
This will see private school teachers receiving a one-off payment of $40,000 each, while support staff will receive $10,000 each.
Speaking recently at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s 56th annual conference at Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, Samuda said the financial aid was approved under the COVID-19 Allocation of Resources to Employees (CARE) programme offered by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
“We have heard the concerns raised by our private schools. Support has been approved for teachers in private schools under the CARE programme offered by the Ministry of Finance,” Samuda said.
Meanwhile, the minister reiterated Government’s commitment to assisting families in need with back-to-school preparation.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has earmarked $50 million to support students who are not on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), to cushion the challenges associated with purchasing back-to-school supplies.
“When we requested, initially, the Minister of Finance [and the Public Service] contemplated the matter and had to do the appropriate checks to ensure that the funding was in place, but he has since agreed that in respect of going back to school and support for students other than PATH, he would facilitate us by an additional $50 million to support this category of students,” he added.
“It’s not just the PATH students who will benefit from back-to-school facilities but also those non-PATH [individuals] who are in need,” Samuda said.
Schools are scheduled to reopen, on a phased basis, beginning Monday, October 5, 2020.