JAMAICA: Government ponders fund for needy students

Jamaica's government has agreed to consider, for the next financial year, a programme of support for tertiary students in dire financial distress and at risk of deregistration, reports The Gleaner. Students qualifying for the programme would be selected by means testing and on the recommendation of institutions, the Ministry of Education has said.

Minister of Education Andrew Holness promised to consider the support plan after some tertiary students voiced concerns about possible increases in tuition fees. A group of University of West Indies students said the decision by the government to freeze subsidies to tertiary institution as a condition of accessing a US$1.2 billion standby loan facility from the International Monetary Fund could adversely affect their ability to afford tertiary education.
Full report on the Jamaica Gleaner site