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Contact:
John Emmanuel
Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - Minister for Education, Human Resources
Development Youth and Sports, Honourable Mario Michel says his ministry will
continue its efforts at maximising the use of scare resources to educational
advancement.
Making his contribution to this year’s Budget Debate, Minister Michel informed
that this goal would be to make maximum use of scarce resources by eliminating waste, insisting on good quality work
from contractors and suppliers, employing stricter procurement methods, and
discontinuing practices and procedures that have placed severe stresses and
strains on finances.
He says some of the measures have proven to be unpopular but are necessary, if
the ministry is to achieve a more rational utilization of limited resources.
Academic performance on the island, he says continues to improve largely as a
result of the initiatives which are beginning to bear fruit, along with the
tireless efforts of teachers. Despite the many highpoints, Minister Michel says
there are some vexing issues to be dealt with.
“We have seen incidents of student violence; we have seen the absence of
sufficient anger management; and we have seen a slew of new misbehaviours within
the system. We are in the process of putting in place, various measures which we
expect, taken collectively will make a difference to the school environment,” he
said.
The Minister points to several initiatives which are currently being undertaken,
including the establishment of a students’ welfare services designed to bring
special education, students’ social services and counselling services under one
umbrella; appointment of a special needs assessor to work as part of a
multi-disciplinary team charged with undertaking assessments of students; and
appointment of district education counsellors.
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