| KINGSTON, April 4 (JIS): |
 The
Social and Economic Support Programme (SESP) in the Ministry of Education,
Youth and Culture is to receive a $15 million boost. The programme
is geared towards providing financial assistance to students as well
as the School Income Generating Project.The funds were earmarked in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled last week in the House of Representatives. The SESP is designed to provide economic and social support to the most vulnerable in the society, namely inner city youth, the poor and aged, especially those in rural areas, as well as students in public educational institutions. Under the student welfare aspect of SESP, funds will be used to provide financial assistance to students at secondary and tertiary levels. The School Income Generating Project is an activity concerned with the monitoring of the revolving loan scheme, which provides assistance in the establishment of sustainable and profitable income generating projects in schools. Also $13.506 million has been allocated to the UDC/WICHON St. Catherine Schools Project, which falls under the Early Education Programme, in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture. The objective of this project is to improve the quality of educational facilities at the basic school level in the parish of St. Catherine. This provision is to service the deferred financing facility, which falls due in 2004/2005 and which was used to finance the construction of the relevant basic schools. |
