Students Could Be Required To Repay Government Fees

By Algernon Watts

Students benefiting from the government’s CXC Examination Fee Support Programme (EFSP) could be required to repay the cost of their examination fees if they fail to complete mandatory School-Based Assessments (SBAs), or do not sit the examinations without an approved reason.

The accountability measure forms part of the government’s newly formalised National CXC Examination Fee Support Programme, approved by Cabinet this week to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent eligible students from accessing Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) certification.

Under the policy, the government will continue to pay examination fees for eligible students attending public and private secondary schools, the Antigua and Barbuda College of Arts and Sciences (ABCAS), and approved home-schooling programmes, who are sitting Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects. Funding covers candidates’ entry fees, subject fees and local examination fees.

However, government said students receiving the benefit must meet several conditions to remain eligible. They will be required to maintain satisfactory attendance, complete all required SBAs, demonstrate appropriate conduct and sit the examinations for which government has provided funding. Students who fail to complete SBAs or fail to sit registered examinations without an approved reason may be required to reimburse the associated costs.

Eligibility is limited to citizens of Antigua and Barbuda and citizens of OECS member states offering reciprocal benefits who are enrolled in registered public or private secondary schools, approved home-schooling programmes or ABCAS. Students must also be recommended by their principal, meet the Ministry of Education’s attendance requirements and be first-time candidates for the subjects being entered.

Government funding will not cover examination resits, subject rewrites intended to improve grades, late registration penalties, amendment fees after registration deadlines, script reviews or additional subjects beyond the approved limits. Those costs will remain the responsibility of students.

The policy also establishes a formal administrative framework requiring the Ministry of Education to make annual budgetary provisions for the programme, verify student eligibility before payments are made, monitor expenditure and conduct annual evaluations measuring participation, student performance, tertiary enrolment and the programme’s overall effectiveness.

Government said the institutionalisation of the programme ensures future generations of students will continue to have equitable access to regional examinations while reinforcing the principle that no qualified student should be denied educational opportunities because of financial hardship.

Meanwhile, the means by which negligent students would be required to repay are yet to be revealed.