End early morning queues at schools

A release from the Ministry quotes Education Minister, Anthony Garcia, as reiterating his concern that many parents and guardians opt to form queues outside schools from as early as 4 am in order to get a form that will allow their children to be considered for entry into primary schools.

Garcia said this has resulted in parents and guardians being stressed and frustrated.

This practice has developed because of the limited number of admission forms that are made available to parents by some school principals. Garcia says he has received numerous complaints from parents and guardians who have been subjected to this “indignity” causing unnecessary stress and frustration.

He insists that this situation should not be allowed to continue.

Garcia said the Ministry advises that where application forms are required to be completed by parents, those forms should be made available over an extended period, during February and March, during normal working hours, and are to be available to all parents seeking admission to school for their children.

The release revealed that the Ministry has issued a circular memorandum to principals of all primary schools on the issue.

This circular points out that admission lists must be posted at the school and parents must be notified by May 15 each year. Principals are also required to notify parents who are unsuccessful in securing a place for their children of the reason/s for non-acceptance.

According to the Ministry, residence in the catchment area (three kilometres) of the school is the first criterion for admission, and refusal to admit is permissible only on grounds of overcrowding.

The circular states further when the number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, priority is to be given to applicants residing in the catchment area of the school and on the age of the child with older children receiving preference.

The circular stipulates that children shall be admitted to primary school not earlier than the first day of the term in which they attain their fifth birthday.

The Ministry has reminded parents that no registration fee or contribution is to be a condition for acceptance of a child into a public school.