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Wheatley defends $1M sum allotted to education sector from SSB grant

Dr Natalio Wheatley

Education Minister, Dr Natalio Wheatley has dismissed the notion that insufficient funds had been allotted to the education sector from the $40 million COVID-19 grant government received from the Social Security Board last year.

Opposition legislator, Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull had asked the minister whether some of the funds given through the grant could have been better served in the education sector.

But Dr Wheatley explained that the grant was designed for a specific purpose and that was to provide relief to persons and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Many of the programmes from this grant were associated with providing relief for persons who work within the private sector as well as stimulating the economy which was negatively impacted by lockdowns and the shutdown of the tourist economy,” the minister explained.

“So, the persons within the private sector who would have [felt] an impact in education would have been daycares, preschools and private educational institutions,” Dr Wheatley said.

The minister noted that these entities found the grants very useful and were very grateful for them.

Dr Wheatley said the $1 million grant given to daycares, pre-schools and private educational institutions was a very important aspect of the relief programme.

He said a meeting with an association of daycares and preschools recently, confirmed that the grant was essential in keeping those businesses afloat.

Besides the money allotted through the Social Security grant, Dr Wheatley said the government also procured laptops to assist students with online learning during a period when face-to-face classes were not being held.

But Turnbull said parents who received those government-issued laptops for their children also experienced difficulty in paying their internet bills as a result of COVID-19. He said this, too, was an impact the government could have been considered for funding through the grant.

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11 Comments

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  1. heckler says:

    The fake fisher/farmers, useless bodyguards and the so-called consultants got more money than the needy education department so try move yourself from here !!!!

    Like 28
  2. Dr. DoLittle says:

    This man is completely u**less.

    Like 24
    Dislike 2
    • @Dr. Dolittle says:

      For the people and country perhaps, but himself and bank account, nope. He is accomplishing exactly his aims and desires why he ran.

  3. hush says:

    hush the noise because is all of you put them in power. fedup

    Like 10
  4. Of Course says:

    He already has his PhD so of course it would be enough for him.

  5. Hmmmm says:

    Your grandfather Late Hon. Willard Wheatley must be turning round and round in his grave! Where is the Sowande from PPA, the fighter for the people? He has let the power go to his head and is a complete failure. How ironic we have a Minister of EDUCATION with a PhD and look at the state of it. They will blame NDP and COVID for everything that has gone wrong. Ask him what his plans for education are and he will mumble some rubbish.

    Like 16
  6. No nonsense says:

    He is a waste of good knowledge!

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  7. Teh that fo garping says:

    If my sole motivation was/is to get as much money as possible, think i would give a rats about education, country or people. Just glad ahyo elected me to get close the money.

  8. Steww says:

    God bless the expats
    If wasn’t for them the government won’t get money to thief
    Them want the expats money but do want the ppl here

    • Point... says:

      That is an excellent point considering a large percent of ex-pat workers leave or have to leave after their contracts expire and do not file for SS benefits when they reach 65 y.o., or perhaps even die before they can claim their SS investments.

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