No cut in CXC funding, Garcia says

CHAGUANAS East MP Fazal Karim asked about a “significant reduction by $10.4 million” in the Government’s annual payment to the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) from $21.7 million last year to $11.2 million for 2019.

On Thursday last week, in the House of Representatives’ Standing Finance Committee, Education Minister Anthony Garcia alluded that some fees had been paid previously and said both his ministry and the Budget Division thought the 2019 allocation was adequate.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh asked what exams this allocation funded, such as SEA, CSEC and CAPE, saying, “From my understanding that was close to $50 million in the past, and I’m only seeing about $11 million now. That’s a little bit confusing.”

Garcia replied, “The annual contribution for two years, that contribution was made to the CXC budget. The allocation should be sufficient for the 2019 allocation. It will involve all the areas which fall under the jurisdiction of the CXC.”

Gopeesingh said, “You’re saying you would have paid a lot more upfront and this is just what is needed for the year coming?”

Garcia replied “Yes.”

Gopeesingh asked about the reluctance of teacher’s union TTUTA to heed the ministry’s call to mark project-work (SBA) scripts of pupils for the CSEC exam.

Garcia replied, “The CPO gave us her opinion, and the union took out a pre-action protocol letter addressed to the CPO.” Gopeesingh asked about a delay in payment to denominational bodies, but Garcia said “The payments have been made. That issue has been settled.”

Karim asked about the halving of the allocation for the textbook rental programme from $4.6 million last year to $2 million this year.

Garcia said, “We have not purchased any textbooks for use in both our primary and secondary schools.”

A year ago a committee was appointed to evaluate textbooks. “We are moving away from what we had before, where we had the free choice, because this was shrouded in some undesirable activities. We are now relying on this new committee, so we can have textbooks, to be used in our primary and secondary schools, up to a certain standard.”

Replying to Karim’s query, Garcia said his ministry is asking MPs to nominate members of school boards in their constituencies.

On grants to government secondary schools, Garcia said despite budget documents showing a planned estimate of $80 million last year and a revised estimate of just $31 million, in fact $50 million had been spent.

The 2019 estimate is $80 million.

Budget documents showed a hike in funds for the dozen-plus private schools for special-needs pupils, from $14.5 million last year to $25.7 million.