Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter

TWO SENATORS on different sides of the political divide are urging the Government to play a more active role in the development of independent schools in Jamaica.

Opposition Senator Basil Waite wants the administration to increase its oversight of the independent school sector.

"Just as we provide concessionary loan funding for other sectors such as tourism and agriculture ... I am suggesting that the Government explore the provision of concessionary funding in the independent school sector of the education system," argued Waite.

Moving a private members' motion on Friday in the Senate, Waite argued that the expansion of infrastructure in the education sector, in the short term, could only come from additional private investment in the education sector.

Become more supportive

The Upper House approved the resolution, calling for the establishment of a task force to examine ways in which funding, at significantly reduced rates, could be sourced for the development of independent schools.

Government Senator Hyacinth Bennett commended her colleague for the "impassioned advocacy" on behalf of the independent schools.

Bennett said it was time that the government shed its piecemeal approach towards independent schools and become more supportive to these institutions.

Bennett, who runs a group of independent schools, pointed to serious challenges facing many private schools.

Gloomy picture

"When I spoke with the president of the association (Jamaica Independent Schools' Association), the picture that he painted of a number of independent schools is rather gloomy as well as frightening," she told her colleagues in the Senate.

However, she said the association had four meetings with Education Minister Andrew Holness and the talks "were not fruitless".

Government Senator Dr Ronald Robinson said government would be faced with increased pressure if private schools were forced to close because of financial challenges.