HENRY

The Ministry of Education and Youth is to make special arrangements with some tertiary institutions, which will allow the more than 100 teachers who have been deregistered to stay in school until the $500 million revolving loan fund is ready in May.

However, Education Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson said these teachers will have to meet certain eligibility criteria before a decision to assist them is taken.

In September 2005, Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson announced at the People's National Party (PNP) annual conference that the Government would be implementing a $500 million revolving loan fund to upgrade the qualifications of the island's roughly 17,000 teachers who are without a first degree. This wasin keeping with a recommendation made by the Task Force report on education.

The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) has been promised the loan fund on three different occasions: last October and November and January of this year, but teachers are yet to receive this benefit, which was a part of the heads of agreement signed between the Government and the JTA last October.

Non-payment of fees

In anticipation of the loan, some teachers registered at institutions such as the University of the West Indies, University of Technology and Northern Caribbean University, but were later deregistered because of non-payment of tuition fees.

Mr. Henry told The Gleaner that the much-anticipated revolving loan fund will be launched on Teachers' Day in May.

"I am more confident now that this will come through because we got it in black and white to say that Cabinet has approved the fund," Mr. Henry told The Gleaner Tuesday.

In the meantime, Mr. Henry said the registration of teachers is also to be launched on Teachers' Day.