Project SELF (Students Education and Learning Fund) was officially launched on Wednesday 20th October, 1993. The fund came into full and immediate effect on Thursday 21st October, 1993. Project SELF was designed as a mechanism to appease certain inequalities and shortcomings that were inherent in the education system. The situation that existed at the time indicates that many students were pressured to become school leavers too early due to financial constraints and family economics. This was the case regardless of the student’s ability and aptitude to do well. As a result, the Student Education Fund was introduced.
Goal
The S.E.L.F. is geared towards ensuring each child in the Federation is given the opportunity to receive and achieve a high level of education regardless of their social or financial circumstance.
Objectives
- To provide students in primary and secondary school with the necessities of textbooks.
- To pay examination fees for eligible students.
Policies
- All text books shall remain the property of SELF, and shall be stamped with the appropriate logo, as well as the stamp of the specified school, along with the appropriate identification number.
- Each school will be provided with the main textbooks and supplementary texts where necessary for all discipline (supplementary texts are for teachers only).
- The Principal of each school will be responsible for the management of the Book Bank at School Level; and shall delegate such responsibilities to any member of staff who in his/her discretion will facilitate the efficient management and operation of the Book Bank.
- All text books shall be requested via the use of the official request form to be signed by both students and parents. By signing the contract, a parent/guardian agrees to replace or pay for missing or destroyed textbooks.
- Books are to be returned to the school on or before completion of the school year.
- A $25.00 maintenance fee will be paid by students on receipt of the required set of books. A household with two or more students pays a maximum of $50.00. There is a waiver of fees for those children covered under the Social Safety net programme.
- A ‘means test’ will determine those whose examination fees (CSEC) will be paid for by SELF. Successful candidate however, will pay a registration fee of $100.00.
- Reference materials (encyclopaedias, atlases, and dictionaries), workbooks, study guides and literature texts are not covered under the project.
SELF Project Staff
Ms. Janice Daniel