Dear Editor,
Now that we have the benefit of hindsight regarding the recent hand-out of $10,000 to parents of every public school student, we can consider how we perhaps could have done better. In this context I wish to propose a system that is gaining popularity elsewhere, including North America to where our compatriots seem to be flocking in ever increasing numbers.
Enough has already been said/written about the good intentions of the cash-grant scheme which unfortunately incurred much criticism because of the manner in which it was implemented, and more particularly because of the indignities and personal suffering endured by the poor parents who had to line up for unending hours in the blazing sun before they could collect the cash. There were also the innuendos about the money being used for purposes which were not of direct benefit to the students, and in some cases being totally misused.
For all the reasons given above, I propose a more beneficiary-focused, less bureaucratic approach which guarantees that the students themselves will directly benefit in more ways than one.
My proposal is not original in that it is widely used in some developed countries: it simply involves our government providing ‘breakfast’ at school for each registered and attending student.
As indicated above, this is done abroad; it is sometimes supplemented by businesses and voluntary, civic-minded organizations. It has the added advantage of improving regular student attendance, enhancing the health of the students and consequently their concentration and academic performance which, after all, is the raison d’être for them attending school.
Yours faithfully,
Nowrang Persaud
