Special schools wait on ministry for grants

The association has given the initiative its full support, but said that only when a contract is signed between both parties will the measures take effect. The programme, which was scheduled to take effect last September, is being implemented via the ministry.

The association’s president Dr Esla Lynch told Newsday that the ministry has recognised that services for children with special needs are not adequately provided for in the public school system, and has decided to provide grants to registered private special schools to assist parents and the schools. She said some of the 18 private special schools named to receive the grant will not receive the funds until they are registered. She said the registration process is lengthy, as it involves inspections from many agencies outside of the ministry. Lynch said a memorandum of agreement was seen and discussed with the ministry, but no date was given on when the final contract document will be signed. She said the association was awaiting those documents from the ministry and, until that time, parents will continue to pay their normal fees.

However, Lynch stressed that free tuition was not part of the programme. Instead, a child who is assessed and qualified as having special needs will receive $1,200 a term toward school fees. Families which are financially challenged will have to undergo a means test before an additional $800 is allocated if they so qualify.

Lynch said ancillary services will also be provided for at a cost of $1,000 per year per child. Such services include speech therapy and occupational therapy. Additionally, $600 to $1,500 will be provided annually for payment for telephone services, based on the size of the school. Government has also promised to pay the cost of WASA and TTEC bills of the schools in full.

The schools will also be provided with between $2,000 to $7,000 annually for grounds and building maintenance, based on the school’s population. And a ten-month subvention towards teachers’ wages will be provided.

Lynch said in some instances the subvention will cover teachers’ present salaries, but in other situations the private schools will have to pay the difference.

She said as a result of the measures, schools with lower overheads and lower tuition costs will become free, but most schools will be able to reduce only the cost of their tuition, resulting in parents having to pay reduced fees.

The capital costs of operating the schools — that is rents, mortgages, capital expenditure and major equipment — in addition to other necessities, will not be covered by the grant, making the schools responsible for meeting those costs.

Officials of the ministry’s Student Support Services Unit recently told Newsday they did not know when the policy would take effect, and when fees would be reimbursed to the parents.