Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Some parents of students who paid tuition fees for the September term have been flocking schools across the island to collect their refund.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), as part of its political campaign, promised to abolish tuition fees if it were to form the Government.

The JLP, which won the September 3 general election, delivered on its promise and said it would refund parents who had already paid the fees.

However, some parents are yet to receive their cheques because some schools received the money from the Ministry of Education late and are now in the process of preparing the cheques for disbursement.

"We have made up the cheques and parents are coming in," Sharon Johnson, principal of Brimmer Vale High School in St. Mary, told The Gleaner yesterday.

Reford Hinds, principal of Donald Quarrie High School, in east Kingston, said some parents who owe the school for auxiliary fees have been using their refund to pay the outstanding amount.

Urged to donate money to schools

Meanwhile, the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) has recommended that parents donate the money to their children's schools.

"If you really don't need to take the money, let it stay," Sylvester Anderson, president of the NPTAJ, told The Gleaner.

However, he urged that the funds be used in consultation with the PTA.

No parent, however, has yet donated the money to her school, said Ms. Johnson.

Ruel Reid, principal of Jamaica College, said parents have been visiting the school to collect their cheques.

He said about 30 per cent of parents have so far donated the money to the school.

June Thompson, principal of Rusea's High School in Hanover, said her school only saw evidence of the money from the ministry in its bank account this week. She, however, noted that her administration was in the process of preparing the cheques, and parents should start receiving them by next Monday.

Parents have until December 17 to collect cheques from schools. Failing that, the Education Ministry has instructed that the money go to the schools.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com