From left: Third Vice President Dominique Louisy, President of the Collectivité Louis Mussington and Territorial Councillor Martine Beldor, President of the Employment, Skills and Training Commission.
MARIGOT--Third Vice President of the Collectivité Dominique Louisy, in charge of Human Development and Citizenship, on Wednesday presented the budgets allocated to education. These include 1.7 million euros dedicated to allocations for second level establishments (colleges and high schools), 200,000 euros for equipment for first level schools and two million euros for mobility aid (study grants financed with the help of European funds).
Supporting students is of major importance to the Collectivité and its elected representatives, which is why scholarship amounts have been doubled since 2022. The scholarship registration portal is open until November 30. Louisy is committed to holding the first territorial scholarship allocation commission at the end of September, so that the first instalment can be paid in the last quarter of 2023.
Louisy also spoke about the start of the new school year, the work carried out in schools during the summer vacations and the improvements still to be made over the school year, particularly at Soualiga secondary school.
With regard to school transport, the Collectivité allocates an annual budget of 1.1 million euros with an estimated 1,425 pupils this year and an annual fee for parents of 140 euros per child (sliding scale according to the number of children).
The Caisse Territorial des Oeuvres Scolaire (CTOS) central kitchen will cater for an estimated 3,700 children this year. Louisy is also President of CTOS and said phased work has already been carried out on certain school canteens. The second phase of work will be launched in 2024.
She recommended the services of the school canteen, after-school care and school transport. The rates are very reasonable and prevent children from being left to fend for themselves.
Canteen prices vary according to family income, from 2.50 euros up to 4.50 euros for second level students.
Annual activities are on the programme this year, thanks to the Cité Educative scheme deployed in Sandy Ground by the State, the Rectorat and the Collectivité. Sandy Ground students will also benefit from breakfast every school morning.
CTOS expects 800 children to take part in extracurricular activities this year, twice as many as last year. Fees are calculated on a monthly basis and vary according to family income, from 20 euros to 25 euros, adding four euros for the canteen on Wednesdays.
Louisy emphasised that schools are places of learning and must be protected and respected. Vandalism in schools, as happened recently in Sandy Ground, is an unacceptable act that penalises all students in the area. She urged parents to remind their children of this.
Overall, the start of the new school year went very well, she noted. She toured the schools before the start of the new school year and was very attentive to problems encountered by school heads. The aim was to respond to expectations with concrete actions and to focus on the well-being and safety of pupils. She wished all students, school heads, teaching staff and administrative and educational teams working in the schools an excellent start to the new school year.
