The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE Minnis administration has allocated $21m for tuition grant programmes to “effectively cover all Bahamian full-time students” at the University of the Bahamas and Bahamas Vocational and Technical Institute, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.

Dr Minnis said this is an increase of $15.2m on public spending on scholarships and related financial support for these institutions.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Dr Minnis also touted the government’s universal Pre-Primary Education Initiative as possibly being “one of the greater poverty reduction initiatives in the history of this country”.

Dr Minnis said under the initiative, once spaces in government-operated pre-schools are full, applicants will be directed to private preschools and provided with a $2,000 annual voucher to cover tuition and learning supplies.

He also outlined the impact this initiative will have on entrepreneurs, who may be “more inclined” to start a preschool knowing that students will have government funding.

“In this budget, we have allocated a total of $21 million dollars for tuition grant programmes at (UB) and BTVI,” Dr Minnis said. “And under these programmes, the government will provide for the payment of tuition and mandatory course-related fees for all full-time Bahamian students.”

Dr Minnis added it is estimated that over 1,500 students at UB alone will be eligible to benefit from this programme. This figure includes both new and returning students who are enrolling for the 2019-2020 school year.

Previously, $5.8m was allocated for financial support at these institutions.

“The difference between the $21m and the $5.8 million, represents $15.2m in money that students would have otherwise had to come up with to fund their education. There will be some $15.2m that will now be put back into the hands of these students and their parents, including working-class and middle-class Bahamians striving for better lives.

“Think of the burden this lifts off the students or parents who would have had to pay $5,000 or $6,000 a year to UB. That is money they can save, or spend on critical items, or simply not have to borrow.”

On the preschool initiative, he said: “Our universal pre-primary education initiative seeks to ensure that all Bahamian children have the opportunity to receive early education, which will prepare them for further education and training. And to expand this initiative, the Ministry of Education will partner with approved private preschools through a voucher programme for 500 to 1,000 spots annually.”

Upon application to this programme, Dr Minnis said applicants will first be directed government-operated facilities. Once those are filled, applicants would get vouchers to attend a private school that has been government approved.

Dr Minnis described this as a “prime example’ of his administration’s commitment to expanding the use of public-private partnerships.

“By using private preschools under this initiative, we can reach children in New Providence, Grand Bahama, and (the) Family Islands.

“It also acts as an incentive to entrepreneurs, as more Bahamians may now be inclined to start a preschool knowing that the government will financially support students in their school, who are eligible under this programme.

“My government will set aside $1m initially through the Small Business Development Centre and the Entrepreneurial Venture Fund for the development of preschools.

“This funding will support equity and loans up to $150,000 to qualifying educational institutions that offer preschool education and that are participating in the Ministry of Education’s Universal Pre-school programme. This is for schools that are participating as well as those that will participate in the programme.

“And these sums, Mr Speaker, will provide private preschool operators the means to expand their facilities, to meet the demand for preschool seats that will be created by this programme.”