The Education Trust Fund (ETF) has urged students across Dominica to donate at least $1 on its “Contribution Day” which held on Thursday. According to the chairman of ETF’s Board of Trustees, Willie Fevrier, the $1 contribution would enable the organization to meet its mandates of assisting indigent students across the Island.
Fevrier clarified that while the government gives a yearly subvention of $50,000 to the ETF, the organization is mandated by Act of Parliament to raise its operating funds from the public. Apart from urging students to donate at least $1, he said the ETF also reaches out to prominent individuals, private and public corporations, as well as local businesses and enterprises for financial assistance.
The ETF chief disclosed that many people and organizations that the organized reached out proved to be worthy donors.
We expect all students in Dominica to donate to the Education Trust Fund, at least one dollar to help the needy students – their peers at the secondary schools. All schools have been informed, and we hope that the parents will provide a little donation to help to the Education Trust Fund.
Willie Fevrier, Chairman of ETF’s Board of Trustees
The ETF said the funds generated from the public are used to help indigent students pay for examinations – especially CXC fees. Fevrier said the funds are also used to pay for public buses to transport students to school in communities where government-sponsored buses are not available. He added that his organization also assists students with school fees if they attend fairly expensive schools that may prove burdensome to parents.
In my view, we do not pay the entire cost of these three areas. We pay approximately half of it and we expect the parents to pay the other half. Last year I would say we had a bumper application…I believe we probably reached close to a thousand applications for various needs, especially for CXC examination fees.
Willie Fevrier, Chairman of ETF’s Board of Trustees
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