The Editor, Sir:

A recent letter 'High cost of tertiary education in Jamaica' published in The Gleaner of Wednesday, August 13, 2008, which revealed that the Mico University College students who access tuition financing from the Student Loan Bureau (SLB) are required to deposit half of the tuition, if true, is most disturbing.

As a fellow tertiary student myself, I can identify with the challenges most students face in securing funds to cover tuition, books and other school-related expenses and the financial strain which these expenses often prove to be.

Defeats the purpose

To require students - some of whom may be unemployed - to pay nearly $100,000 (although the amount is refunded as soon as the SLB disburse the funds) defeats the whole purpose of why students seek financing in the first instance.

Tertiary education the world over is proving to be not a privilege but a necessity in order to complete in today's competitive job market and globalised world. It is my fervent hope that if such a policy does exist, that the administrators of Mico University College rethink this approach and adopt a more student-centered and student-friendly policy. This would redound to the benefit of the school, students and society as a whole.

I am, etc.,

RICHARD PARCHMENT

Kingston