The moderator of the Synod Presbyterian Church has criticised Education Minister Anthony Garcia over recent statements in which he challenged denominational schools to be more proactive in raising funds to offset the cost of constructing new schools and paying staff.
Annabell Lalla Ramkelawan took issue with the minister’s comments, insisting there should be no cutbacks in the area of education.
Critical of their continued partnership with the Ministry of Education, Ramkelawan on Thursday said: “Some measures make us feel that we are moving backwards instead of forward when it comes to partnering with the ministry.”
Ramkelawan’s first hint of dissatisfaction was made during her address to the 2016 graduating class at the St Augustine Girls’ High School (SAGHS).
“The talk that denominational schools will have to find money to build schools and pay staff as alluded to by Mr Garcia, that is taking our educational system backwards,” she said, when asked to elaborate.
“If denominational schools have to take care of buildings and staffing, then it means that education will not be free for all.
“It means it will come with a cost added to it and that is taking us backward rather than forward,” she said.
Earlier this week, Garcia commented on the continued decline in national revenues as he challenged denominational schools to do more to help themselves through fund-raising efforts. As a former principal of Fatima College, Garcia said he was aware of the fund-raising power of denominational schools—many of which were counted among the country’s top-performing schools.
He suggested that many of the schools lean on the parents who were willing and able to contribute to school coffers, adding that many of the robust alumnis had a network of successful and generous graduates.
Referring to the Concordat—the legally-binding document governing the partnership of the ministry and denominational boards—Ramkelawan said it was clearly set out what each entity was responsible for.
She said that denominational schools had often collaborated and shared some of the financial burden in the construction of new schools in the past.
When the Education Facilities Company Ltd was established, she said, they took over the sole responsibility for building and outfitting schools.
However, she said, this did not mean that they could not revert to past practices as there were corporate citizens who would be willing to once again rise to the occasion and sponsor/donate as they could.
“If we have to, we can return to that,” she said.
Acknowledging claims that Government was making budget cuts wherever possible, especially in view of tough economic times, Ramkelawan remained firm that, “the education of our children should not be considered a cutback.”