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School officials in the Stann Creek District have raised concerns about the low enrolment at some of the educational institutions in the District. Correspondent Harry Arzu has the story.

HARRY ARZU

"There are six secondary learning institutions in the Stann Creek District and there are reports that a large number of young people who've graduated from the various primary schools recently is not attending any of these institutions and are not participating in any other constructive alternative program that can advance their personal development�..but what are some of the reasons for this state of affairs in this municipality and by extension, the district? Furthermore there are a number of high school dropouts, while some of these high schools have a very low student population, for example, the Agriculture Natural Research Institute has a student population of less than 100 and the authorities there say that they are in dire need of more students. Likewise ITVET Stann Creek has a small population of less than 100 students while Delille Academy has a decrease in their student population hence the reason for their urgent campaign to attract more students to their school since they have a little over 300. Dina Villafranco is the principal of Delille Academy."

DINA VILLAFRANCO "Today Delille sees a great decrease in its enrollment and we are very concerned and therefore through this medium, we are making an effort to reach out to the community and get everyone involved and get them to come to Delille Academy to be a student. Dina VillafrancoThe enrollment is slow but we also see in our community where our students who are out on the streets, their life and purpose would be better served if they were enrolled at a high school that can give them a quality education than being a burden to society by being out on the streets without any sense of direction. We are therefore inviting everyone who is high school aged, who has not completed secondary school to come to Delille Academy, come to register. We do have as usual an open door policy; we want to increase our enrollment. The catch with this is that we are asking our students to come, we are not asking you to pay immediately for your registration fees, we are going to work out a plan with you but we want to give you that opportunity to begin." HARRY ARZU "We all can agree that education empowers a nation."

LOVEFM

School fees are staggering for some families and I've talked with students who are shamed during a class session because their payments are in the arrears ..... The payment program for registration is a great start.....However, Mr. Arzu might be able to approach the government or even the Prime Minister's wife for tuition fees for some of these young people....In the end the whole country would benefit with a higher level of education from the next generation...... Good Luck to you folks......

It is not only the school fee, we had to pay over $500 for text books and after a month in school our son has used only 3 out of 12/13 we had to buy for his first year.

I can just imagine how hopeless the kids and their families, the most important support system in a kid's life, feel about education. No doubt the thought of attending school is just dismissed in many cases because it's unaffordable. I wish these administrators all the best in turning the situation more positive and the sooner, the better.