Did New Education Minister Change Rules On Educational Assistance?

Francis Fonseca is no longer Minister of Education - but he served in that post for many years and defined many of the PUP governance norms - especially when it comes to educational assistance funds. Under his system, those could be applied for at any District Education Center - without a recommendation for the area rep. But, now, reports reaching us say that under the new Minister Oscar Requena - that system has changed - and those wanting assistance have to go through their area reps. It enforces clientelism and politicization of education, and Fonseca said he too had heard the report: Jules Vasquez: "We are getting information that the system has changed that whereas in the past students could go to any district education office to seek assistance, now they must go through their area representative, then their area representative goes to the Ministry of Education. Have you received notice of this or complaint of this?" Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs "No, that specific issue you raised, I heard that and I picked up the phone and I called the Ministry of Education myself to find out if that was accurate or not and they advised me that that was not the case, that people can still go into the district centres and submit their invoices and that those would be honoured. So I think there may have been some discussion about making changes but I can inform you that based on my discussions with the Ministry of Education they have told me that that has not changed and so people are free to go into the district centres, you don't have to go through your area representative," "a lot of people do that as you know still do that but that's not the only way that you will get assistance, you can go to the district centre and they will still honour those invoices and they will still grant assistance to those people." Jules Vasquez: "But as a foremost defender of good governance principles you certainly support decentralisation of the process and people not having to go and supplicate themselves before the Minister." Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs "Absolutely, absolutely. I tried very hard to institute a structure and a policy that ensured that there was absolutely no political interference in the disbursement of education funds." "We need to support young people in this country, wherever they come from, whoever they are, don't ask questions, if we can help them, let's help them."