Montego Bay, St. James

Plagued by spiralling miscellaneous school fees, the National Secondary Student's Council (NSSC) is calling on the Ministry of Education and Youth to develop regulations to monitor the administration of these fees.

"Yearly, we have a number of high schools increasing miscellaneous fees and the thing is, there is no policy or regulation of how these increases (come about). Therefore, these increases are based on what the schools think," said Tamian Beckford, president of the NSSC.

According to a statement from the NSSC, parents with students in high schools are required to pay miscellaneous fees which are oftentimes twice the amount of the school fees under the Government's cost-sharing programme.

- Western Bureau

A campus of the Montego Bay Community College in St. James has been officially opened in Westmoreland on the former grounds of the Frome Technical High School, which has been relocated.

Although the Frome campus has been in operation since 2004, the ceremony to mark its official opening was held on Wednesday, September 6. The institution began with approximately 113 students in September 2004, and now has a student population of approximately 250.

- JIS

Mandeville, Manchester

Eleven students returning to university and high schools had the financial burden of their parents lightened by the Manchester Co-operative Credit Union which paid a portion of their school fees or gave them scholarships.

The students are enrolled at the Northern Caribbean University, University of the West Indies, University of Technology, Bishop Gibson, Decarteret College, Glenmuir and Manchester High schools and Knox College.

The handing over took place at the International Chinese Restaurant on Tuesday.

- Angelo Laurence