Schools across Dominica are encouraged to make a contribution of at least one dollar ($1.00) to the Education Trust Fund “Contribution Day” today.
Although the Government of Dominica provides an annual subvention for students, the fund seeks to raise money in order to meet the growing demands for assistance.
Funds are raised by donations from persons, clubs, local, regional, or international associations, and by fundraising activities.
“We expect all students in Dominica to donate to the Education Trust Fund at least one dollar to help the needy students, their peers at the secondary schools,” Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Education Trust Fund Willie Fevrier said.
He continued, “All schools have been informed and we hope that the parents will provide a little donation to make to the Education Trust Fund.”
According to him, the money will help to provide the Education Trust Fund with some assistance to parents who may have difficulty making sure that their children remain in school.
“For example, we pay for transportation for children who are coming from communities where there is no bus service paid by the government,” Fevrier explained. “Then we pay the registration fee at some of the schools, but I can tell you, some of the schools are pretty expensive, so we assist in that respect.”
He stated that the Education Trust Fund also pays CXC examination fees.”
“In my view, we do not pay the entire cost of these three areas, we pay approximately half of it and we expect the parents to pay the other half,” Fevrier explained.
He went on to state that the Education Trust Fund has assisted a number of students over the years.
“Last year I would say we had a bumper application,” he revealed. “I believe we probably reached close to a thousand applications for various needs, especially for CXC examination fees.”
Fevrier pointed out that the government provides the Education Trust Fund with a yearly subvention of $50,000, “and we are mandated by the Education Trust Fund Act to raise our own funds and we do that by asking the public to assist.”
“We do that by writing to private sector people, businesses and I have to say some of them are very cooperative, they are very consistent and they are helping us very well,” he indicated.
The Education Trust Fund was established in 1981 through an act of parliament to assist students experiencing difficulty attending secondary school.
A wonderful initiative by the Education Trust Fund, so many families have benefited from this movement. May God bless you