Parents who are registering their children for the next school years at Saint John’s College High School are sure to have noticed that this year’s fees are $1,100 dollars when last year it was $800. Inflation right? After all everything else is going up.....Not so fast. The Ministry of Education today confirmed that it sent out a memorandum to all school managers from primary schools right up to junior college two weeks ago on June 8 stating plainly that, quote: “no increase in tuition and other fees will be approved for the new school year 2009 to 2010.”
But SJC went right ahead and implemented new fees – and according to the Ministry it did so unilaterally. Minister of Education Patrick Faber noted the sharp increases in the activity and the supplemental fee. He told us that only the Chief Education Officer can order such an increase – and he certainly didn’t, so SJC’s fees are breaking the rules.
While coming slightly short of saying what the Ministry will or can do, Faber urged parents to challenge the institution that it has no authority to implement the fees that it has.
