Why ‘donation fee’ Mrs Manning?

THE EDITOR: I am writing this letter to Mrs Manning, Minister of Education. Ma’am, my daughter has passed her SEA for ASJA Girls College in Tunapuna. I am a single mother collecting child maintenance from my ex-husband in the sum of $340 a month. I am employed part-time as a domestic help and with that money I take care of myself, the groceries and bills. I used my child maintenance money on her, for books, transport, snacks and even clothes, that was when she attended primary school.

Now that she will be going to ASJA College in Tunapuna I know I would have to pay more in transport. What is really bothering me is that at ASJA they want us, the parents, to pay a donation fee of $200. They said it’s not a registration fee, but a donation fee. I cannot afford to pay that fee. Where am I going to get that money? You at the Ministry of Education are only giving us four books for rental, which is English, Mathematics, Science and Spanish. To that I have to buy 13 other text books which are:
(1) Chambers School Dictionary
(2) A Brighter Sun
(3) Men and Gods
(4) Success in Maths for Caribbean Work Book 1
(5) New Lower Secondary Science Workbook 1
(6) 1 Spanish dictionary
(7) 1 Key Geography
(8) Skills in Geography in Secondary Schools
(9) Phillips Certificate Atlas for the Caribbean
(10) The Caribbean People Book 1
(11) Interactive Social Studies Form 1 Focus
(12) Log on to IT for Computer Science
(13) Art and Craft

One sketch pad, one set poster paints, one set colour pencils, two paint brushes, three drawing pencils, one bottle white glue, and one soft white eraser which the principal said you have to buy at the school valued at $160. Why do I have to buy these art items for so much money? Why? These 12 books together with the art items cost over one thousand dollars, plus school uniform, school shoes, copy books, note books. I want my child to get her education, I would buy one by one of her books to make sure she gets all. But I am not paying that donation fee. You are responsible for all schools. Why are principals charging registration fees or donation fees? Why? Our children worked hard to pass for the school of their choice and they get it and now have to pay so much money to get into it.

Are the principals of those schools mightier than you? Who in the Ministry of Education ever gave them permission to charge a registration or donation fee? What about other poor parents out there who are only getting four books rental and have to buy 13 others with uniform, shoes and transport, note books and copy books, then to pay such a high registration or donation fee? You, Mrs Hazel Manning, have the power to banish this, do it for us the poor parents who cannot pay it, the poor parents who want their children to get an education so they would not be on the streets committing crime. I am begging Mrs Hazel Manning please, do help us. By stopping registration or donation fees. As a woman and a mother, please do feel for us. I thank you dearly in advance.

MARY SINANAN
Caroni