The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

SCHOLARSHIP payments from the Ministry of Education have been delayed due to processing irregularities, The Tribune was told.

Payment cheques were due to be sent out in July, according to a senior official in the Scholarships and Education Loans Division, who said the process was halted due to an investigation.

Yesterday, Education Permanent Secretary Lorraine Armbrister confirmed there was a delay but would not provide further comment on the matter, or give an updated timeline.

"We're working very assiduously," she said. "We expect to have the matter resolved."

Concerned parents have expressed their frustrations over the delay on social media, and in calls to The Tribune this week.

"But it has been approved," said one mother, "I really don't understand this. Who decides which children get the money, and which parents can just foot the bill and wait to be reimbursed? Who decides that? The budget has just been passed, millions of dollars allocated to education."

The mother continued: "This is utterly ridiculous. This child is supposed to go back to school on the end of the week. She can't go back without paying her school fees. If you don't have $7,000 then the child can't go back. Yes it is your child but because she was awarded a scholarship you think the government would uphold their part of the bargain, and you are budgeting for that.

"If they were busy collecting money owed to them then they wouldn't have this problem," she added.