Government To Cover Cost of Up to Six CXCs

High school students across the country will benefit from some financial relief in their senior year, as the Ministry of Education has announced that it will be paying for six CSEC subjects per student beginning in 2015.  The announcement, made by Minister Patrick Faber during a press conference earlier today, is positive news for students who would otherwise be unable to defray the cost of the annual examinations.  The incentive is also a stage of progress for entry into tertiary institutions, starting at the associate level.  Government, says Faber, is prepared to bear the additional cost of secondary education, to go along with its existing subsidy and scholarship programs.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

Patrick Faber

“Hundred percent of those who applied are going to get the CSEC examinations paid for and just to be crystal clear it is up to six exams.  In other words, if you are taking one that will be paid for, taking two, three, four, five, six, it will be paid for.  If you are taking in excess of six the government will pay for six for you and you’d probably be responsible to pay for the difference.  And again there is a rationale behind going with six, as though of you in the media probably know, if you pass the six CSEC subjects and, I think we have a requirement that one must be English A, then you are entitled to a tuition scholarship at the junior college level.  That applies to UB, it doesn’t apply to Galen because Galen doesn’t have an associate degree rate but you can still get it for what it’s worth which is thirty dollars per credit hour…  So it is a stepping stone for those who said, “I would not have gone on to sixth form.”  Well here’s an opportunity.  Government is paying for these CSEC exams, these exams will get you a step into the tertiary level door if you do well on them and then we can continue from there.  We believe that at the end of this process that a significant portion, more than I’d say probably two-thirds of those students who are in this position to benefit will benefit from it provided they applied, you know.  Two-thirds of the entire population that is, whether the need is there or not, but two-thirds of the entire population would get some relief in terms of these payments.”