Garcia apologises for error

In a statement to the House of Representative yesterday, Garcia said on May 31 he said two of the 14 special private schools registered with the Ministry of Education had received cheques for the 2016 to 2017 academic year.

After reports were published in the media that none of the schools were paid, Garcia said he was out of the country, but immediately called for a report on the matter.

“After an exhaustive investigation,” he said, “it has been ascertained that the payment vouchers had in fact been prepared and verified.” “The Comptroller of Accounts had previously issued instructions to all ministries that salary payments were to be given priority.” The officer who provided him with the information that the two schools had been paid, he said, “had overlooked this restriction and assumed that the cheques had been printed and issued.” In his haste, Garcia said, the officer had failed to double check the information.

He said he and the permanent secretary in the ministry interviewed the officer.

“I am persuaded that the misinformation was a genuine error, and was not a display of negligence or dereliction of duty.” The special private schools have been complaining of not being able to carry out their programmes for children with special needs because they have not received their subventions and they cannot, in some instances, afford to pay salaries and meet their overhead expenses.

These schools cater for more than 1,000 children with varying disabilities from age four.