By Kimone Witter
There is an appeal for the government to do more to assist parents with back-to-school expenses for the new school year.
People’s National Party caretaker for the Kingston Central constituency, Steve McGregor, said the cost of the school supplies is proving to be too strenuous for some families.
He said many parents will need help with meeting the requirements of schools.
“[It costs] over $20,000 for our children going to primary school and upward depending on the school. The basic school, you are seeing $8,000, $9,000 for different requirements for them to attend school. They have to pay this because they don’t want to feel left out or how they will be treated not doing it. So this is the challenge that we see and we try to do our little to help as best as we can,” said Mr. McGregor.
The caretaker hosted a two-day back-to-school drive on the weekend.
“I engage with the parents and look at their faces. I can see the kind of dismay, but how they feel happy that at least we are making an effort to help them with this kind of storm as it relates to getting back their kids to school and getting their young ones out to school for the first time,” he noted.