Give us back book grant

THE EDITOR: The catch phrase, “Vision 20/20” has been used by Mr Patrick Manning and his cohorts on so many occasions that it has become hackneyed. One wonders if they really understand the implications involved. It is not a destination to be reached but a journey to be walked on a daily basis. One such journey that must be walked is the provision of free school books for all. If we are serious about becoming a developed nation, we need to put systems in place to provide textbooks for all, as it is done in the USA (a developed nation). My thesis therefore is, we must move towards providing free books for all, in every subject area and not a paltry four books. Last year the Government provided a ($1000) Book Grant to all Form Ones. This grant gave parents an opportunity to source second hand books for their children. I personally went to Woodford Square, an annual market for second hand books, and purchased about 60 percent of my son’s books for Form One.

This year the Government has opted to replace the issuing of Book Grants to Form Ones and Twos with a book rental system. This system has failed even before it has started. The latest bulletin is, they are planning to issue only four books, one per subject, to each child in the lower forms, I and II. I have in my possession a Form Two booklist which has a whopping 25 books on it! If parents are only given four books for Form Ones and Twos, how are they going to fund the deficit 21 books? Some may say it is the duty of parents to provide textbooks for their children. However this is the 21st century. We are on the way to “Vision 20/20” where quality education is an important tenet. Quality here means conformance to the client’s requirement. Parents as clients of the education system want the $1000 Book Grant for all, from Form One to Form Four, and not an ad hoc system of four books per child. Mrs Manning revert to the system of last year. Everyone would be happy.

DESMOND JAMES
Fyzabad