The Government is spending $1.4 million to give every child who has entered secondary school $500 to put towards educational supplies.

The Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and Labour is facilitating the education of students through a one-time bursary distribution.

The bursary assists students who have written the Common Entrance exam with the purchase of text books and school supplies.

Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Robert Lewis, noted the impact of the bursary.

“The government is spending $1.4 million [in total] to give every child who has entered secondary school $500. It is for your children. This has happened every year for the past four years, and we hope to continue, because [we know that] some parents just cannot afford to send [their children to school.]"

Dr. Lewis also reflected on the developments of the island’s education sector.

“Today, every child in this country can go to a secondary school, and that is a benefit and a big plus for the government and people of Saint Lucia. Whether you like it or not, it is a big benefit for all the people of Saint Lucia that all their children can go to secondary school, and I want to say that there are people who do not believe all children should go to secondary school but that is their opinion. The point is the more you expose people to education, the better their chances of getting to do the things they want to do.”

On Wednesday, Minister for Youth Development and Sports and Parliamentary Representative for Dennery North, Hon. Shawn Edward presented bursaries to the people of Dennery north, through the help the of Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF).

Bursaries for students attending schools in districts 3 and 4 will be awarded on Aug. 10 - 14 at the RC Boys' Primary from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.