The government does not pay tuition for students denied admission to public school

THE parents of 12-year-old Ramona-Shae Thorpe, who was denied access to public education because of her bone disease, are breathing a sigh of relief today as the government says it will pay for their child’s school fees and her transition to secondary school. school will make it easier. school after the Jamaica Observer highlighted their plight

Ramona-Shae’s mother Sasha-Gaye Wood expressed her gratitude when help arrived days after she shared last week
Sunday observer that her daughter was denied admission to multiple public schools in St James and failed to enroll in the Program of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), leaving them struggling financially to put her through a private school.

“I just want to express my gratitude for having been given the opportunity to tell our story,” she told the newspaper Sunday observeradding that the support she has received since the story was published has been overwhelming.

At three months old, her daughter was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta – a condition that causes her bones to break easily and requires her to use a wheelchair or walker to get around.

Since the story was published, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, through its Special Education Unit (SEU), has committed to covering the outstanding balance of $140,000 for Thorpe’s school fees at the private school where she now teaches. sixth grade student. The government unit said this is standard practice once a student is placed in private schools by the ministry.

A transfer to another school at this time could disrupt Ramona-Shae’s learning experience, it added.

“The mother has indicated that the child does not need one-on-one help (shadow) at this time. However, we are preparing to provide such support, if necessary, when the child enters secondary school at the end of sixth grade. Special accommodations will also be provided for the student’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) seating and placement needs,” the ministry told the newspaper.
Sunday observeradding that the SEU remains committed to the continued development, expansion and transformation of special education programs and services.

Wood is also in discussions with PATH representatives and she said she is in the process of submitting a new application.

“It’s like a breath of fresh air,” said a grateful Wood.

The Observer met Ramona-Shae in downtown Kingston last month while on a school trip to Gordon House. At the time, she appealed to Prime Minister Andrew Holness to build more ramps to improve accessibility to the parliament building after experiencing problems using the stairs to enter.

The 12-year-old has also expressed her gratitude for the support her parents will receive, adding that she now feels more comfortable

“It makes me feel good that I don’t have to worry about anyone helping me get around and stuff like that. I don’t have to ask anyone for extra help,” she said of her transition to high school.

“I’m glad that they are aware that some people are not so happy with certain things and are helping us,” she added, expressing the hope that other children facing similar problems will also get the help they need.

Her mother made a similar appeal, saying there are many families in similar situations who are struggling and need help.

“I just wish that the attention that Ramona-Shae is getting now, other kids can benefit from it without even having to go through the process that we went through. If you go through the comments section (on the Observer‘S Instagram post about the story), I see people with disabilities commenting that their parents have experienced similar things with them. I see what these people excel at, they have completed college, and so I would like to see other kids with the ability to learn not be stigmatized,” Wood said.

“I just wish that children with disabilities are not stigmatized and that they are given a fair chance at an equitable education so that they can excel in whatever career choice they choose,” she said.

Wood also appealed to people in government agencies who regularly interact with the public to be more forthcoming with information when engaging parents seeking help for their children.

“I wish they could explain to us, as parents, our other options instead of just giving us a blank ‘No.’ Outline the options and explain it to us because not all of us are educated enough to understand,” she said.

The Ministry of Education said the SEU is designed to create access, equity and quality educational provision for students with special needs. The ministry currently covers the cost of education for 720 students with special needs in private schools through an established MOU with 18 private special education facilities. This increases access to 88 public or grant institutions across the country.

In addition, 106 institutions provide special education services in the seven regions of the country’s education system at preschool, primary and secondary levels, including public and private facilities, some of which offer services to students up to 21 years old, the ministry said.

It also noted that schools have been sensitized to understand how to best accommodate students with special needs and that more than 22 schools in Region Four, which includes the parishes of Hanover, St. James and Westmorland, have ramps that enable access.

Through the regional offices of the Ministry of Education and the SEU, there are also opportunities for placement assistance and intervention support for students with special needs, it added.

For the 2024-2025 school year, the SEU is said to have placed 195 students in private schools with educational support, and many others were facilitated by the Regional Special Needs Coordinators with placement in public schools.

Twelve-year-old Ramona-Shae Thorpe (right) and her mother Sasha-Gaye Wood pause for a photo at the top of the stairs at Gordon House in downtown Kingston, during a school trip to the Houses of Parliament. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)