Tendai Franklyn-Brown, Staff Reporter

Holness

Education Minister Andrew Holness and members from the Association of Principals and Vice-Principals are scheduled to meet this Thursday to discuss a number of educational issues, including the controversial matter of auxiliary fees.

Holness told The Gleaner yesterday that it was hoped that Prime Minister Bruce Golding would attend the meeting.

Growing tension

There has been growing tension between the prime minister and school administrators since his statement in Parliament a week ago that some schools were engaging in extortion in relation to auxiliary fees.

The prime minister had cited the St James-based Cornwall College as one of the schools which imposed unreasonable auxiliary fees.

Yesterday, the president of the Association of Principals and Vice-Principals, Michael Stewart, told The Gleaner that Cornwall College would be one of four schools represented at the meeting.

The others will be Herbert Morrison Technical High - St James, Bishop Gibson High - Manchester, and Clarendon College in Clarendon.

Stewart said the discussions will be crucial in order to establish the wayforward in managing auxiliary fees.

Golding's extortion comments has also upset the Jamaica Teachers' Association, which has been demanding that he apologises.

However, the prime minister has said nothing further on the matter.

Miranda Daley-Sutherland, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica has endorsed the meeting between with the Ministry of Education and the school administrators.

"I think any round-table talks will advise parents in a holistic way to admit to parents that, in fact, over the years they have been subsidising schools in the way of auxiliary fees," she said.

In the meantime, Holness said he would be trying to hold similar meetings with other educational stakeholders.