S.J.C. tuition increase transformed to donation
The Ministry of Education had another bone to pick with the SJC president. He said when one off his school wardens, a single mother, came to his office to ask for assistance in paying an eleven hundred dollars fee for SJC, he made a check and found out that last year’s fee was three hundred dollars less. That meant there was an increase in fees that only the minister could approve, but Faber says he didn’t approve any increase. Garbutt said today that the increase should now be considered a contribution.
Frank Garbutt, President, St. John’s College
“Effective today the increase is now a contribution. If you want to pay, you are welcome to pay it into the college. If you do not want to pay, please know that those who have received financial aid, the school will cover the difference for you. But if you want your son to receive an education that is of quality, one which speaks to the level of excellence that your father and his grandfather were accustomed to from St. John’s College, we are asking you to contribute those monies to our college to ensure that every single boy in that school comes to an institution that is of excellence.”
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“They have raised the fees after we have sent a memorandum to all schools to say to them that we are not in support of any increase in fees for the 2009-2010 school year. The education act is very clear and it states that grant aided schools of which S.J.C. is one such school, may charge tuition and fees but those fees need to be approved by the Minister of Education. And I can tell you I have not approved any such fees for St. John’s College and on the contrary the Chief Education Officer sent out a memo in early June to schools that you are not to increase those fees. This morning in fact on the talk show when the topic was raised by William to the president it’s almost as if he was laughing in the face of the Ministry of Education. He’s saying that there is an increase in the cost of education which we are all aware of but it cannot be that we are going to force the parents to pay when in fact there are other partners in this partnership of education who are not doing their share.”
Faber says that he is sending a letter to Garbutt today and he expects the school president to send a proper fee schedule with to parents, so they understand the breakdown of the fees. If Garbutt does not comply, Faber says quote “there are recourses that the Ministry of Education can take and is willing to take because nobody will take advantage of this system.
